Escalating violence in Sudan鈥檚 North Darfur region has forced M茅decins Sans Fronti猫res to suspend its work in a major camp for displaced people鈥攑utting thousands of malnourished children at risk of death, .
- MSF was forced to halt work at the Zamzam camp鈥攚here 300,000 people live鈥攆ollowing supply blockades and a new wave of violence between Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army around the city of Al Fasher.
- 鈥淲e鈥檙e not talking about an emergency anymore. We鈥檙e talking about a nightmare,鈥 said MSF coordinator Claire San Filippo, who described no escape for people in the region, where 鈥渨ar is everywhere,鈥 .
Women鈥檚 acute, unmet needs: Millions of Sudanese women are suffering from a lack of sexual and reproductive health services, even as sexual violence continues to be widespread, .
Spillover to South Sudan: The number of Sudanese refugees in South Sudan has now surpassed half a million, . GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners Recoveries are outpacing fatalities in Rwanda鈥檚 Marburg outbreak, the health ministry reported yesterday; the toll has reached 61 infections, 14 deaths, 18 recoveries, and 29 cases still under treatment, while 620 vaccine doses have been administered to frontline workers.
Four countries reported new polio cases last week, including Pakistan (wild poliovirus cases) and Angola, Nigeria, and South Sudan (vaccine-derived cases), ; Spain and French Guiana also reported positive environmental samples of vaccine-derived polio鈥攁 first for both countries.
A third of oral cancer cases worldwide have been linked to smokeless tobacco products, per a major published in Lancet Oncology.
Climate-crisis health impacts will receive more focus at medical schools across Europe, with future doctors undergoing more training on mosquito-borne diseases, heatstroke, and asthma management. VIOLENCE Gangs Infiltrate the Amazon Basin
Drug syndicates that have driven Brazil鈥檚 growing homicide surge in cities are extending their reach to the Amazon Basin, creating a public security crisis as gangs try to control local markets.
- In 2023, the homicide rate in the rainforest region hit 34 per 100,000 people, compared to 22.8 per 100,000 nationwide.
- Four of Brazil鈥檚 15 most dangerous cities are in the Amazon region as armed robbery, kidnapping, extortion, and murder鈥攏otably femicide鈥攈ave proliferated.
- 鈥淲e cannot ensure public safety unless we have a secure prison system,鈥 said Jos茅 Lima, Amap谩 State Secretary of Justice and Public Security.
As India鈥檚 infrastructure expands to keep pace with its rapid population growth, finding innovative water solutions remains critical.
But sometimes innovation means revisiting old ways鈥攍ike the traditional well.
In the megacity of Bengaluru, which frequently faces water shortages, Biome Environmental Trust has restored ~280,000 traditional wells over the past decade, tapping into shallow aquifers that had been overlooked as the region shifted to deeper drilling and piping water in from rivers.
The wells, less than 100 feet deep, are energy-efficient and eco-friendly. And they allow the city to diversify its water options in a crisis.
鈥淭ruly, it鈥檚 a low, shallow-hanging fruit,鈥 said urban planner Vishwanath Srikantiah.
Related: Climate change: A growing threat to emergency response 鈥 OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS WHO approves Bavarian Nordic's mpox vaccine for adolescents 鈥
Ethiopia: Children disproportionately affected by weapon contamination 鈥
Better-prepared emergency departments could save kids鈥 lives cost-effectively, Stanford Medicine-led study finds 鈥
Missing immune cells may explain why COVID-19 vaccine protection quickly wanes 鈥
Almost 40% of the world鈥檚 anti-HIV pill users live in SA 鈥
Uptake of self-injectable contraceptive soars among young women 鈥
Milton spares Daytona Beach, Florida, factory that鈥檚 a critical supplier of IV fluids 鈥嬧嬧
AI-supported dermatology: Now for darker skin tones too, thanks to a new data set 鈥
The Cutting-Edge Hearing Aids That You May Already Own 鈥 Issue No. 2796
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
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Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
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Bilingualism makes the brain more efficient, especially when learned at a young age
Neuroplasticity is the brain鈥檚 ability to build connections within itself, adapting to the surrounding environment. The brain is most plastic in childhood, forming new pathways in reaction to stimuli such as language.
Bilingualism makes the brain more efficient, especially when learned at a young age
Neuroplasticity is the brain鈥檚 ability to build connections within itself, adapting to the surrounding environment. The brain is most plastic in childhood, forming new pathways in reaction to stimuli such as language.
Hurricane Milton slammed into Florida early this morning, spawning an onslaught of tornadoes, bringing a deluge of rain, and lashing the Tampa Bay area with 120 mph winds that left 3 million+ customers without power as the state ramps up search and rescue missions and begins to assess damage, .
- At least 19 tornadoes have been confirmed, destroying homes in multiple counties.
- Winds shredded the roof of Tropicana Field, a Major League Baseball stadium staged to serve as a shelter for 10,000 first responders and essential workers, .
- At least four fatalities were reported at a St. Lucie County retirement community, .
- Operations were underway to rescue people trapped in an assisted living facility and hotel in Hillsborough County, and at an apartment building in Clearwater.
A travel ban instituted in Rwanda to suppress the spread of Marburg prohibits anyone who has been exposed to Marburg virus from leaving the country until 21 days after exposure.
The tickborne disease babesiosis increased by 9% per year in the U.S. between 2015 to 2022, according to a published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.
Eating less can boost longevity, a ; but factors like immune health and genetics play key roles along with the metabolic effects of caloric restriction. GHN EXCLUSIVE REPORT Biostatistician Elizabeth Stuart (in purple) makes a point to HHS assistant secretary Micky Tripathi; other AI event panelists (l to r): Alison Snyder, John Auerbach, and Jesse Ehrenfeld. Poulomi Banerjee AI in Public Health: Gaps, Disparities, and Remarkable Potential Public health experts extolled the promise of AI to solve longstanding health problems in a , but also raised concerns about its potential for exacerbating inequity.
AI Wins:
- Chicago鈥檚 health department has used AI to make outbreak predictions for diseases such as , said Micky Tripathi, acting chief AI officer for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Uses include vaccine and drug development, medical diagnostics, and disease screening.
- AI could help small public health departments by streamlining tasks like filling out forms or deciding which restaurants to inspect, said John Auerbach, senior vice president at the global consulting firm ICF.
- It鈥檚 difficult for many local public health departments鈥攅specially smaller ones鈥攖o access the power of AI.
- Much of AI development and use suffers from a lack of transparency.
- AI continues to draw on limited data sets, said Elizabeth Stuart, Biostatistics chair at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 鈥淲e need to be really conscious of who is not in the data 鈥 and then the implications of that,鈥 she said.
Ed Note: The panel 鈥淢aking AI a Lifesaver鈥 was held at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., and was cosponsored by , , and . DATA POINT POPULATIONS Latin America鈥檚 Demographic Overhaul
Population shifts are reshaping the economies and cultural family structures across Latin America and the Caribbean, as fertility rates continue to drop and life expectancy climbs.
- Fertility rates in the region plunged from 5.8 children per woman in 1950 to 1.8 in 2024.
- Meanwhile, life expectancy rose from 49 years in 1950 to 76 years in 2024.
- Household size shrank from 4.3 in 2000 to 3.4 in 2022.
ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Mammoth Mama Bear Clinches Fat Bear Week
In this highly consequential election season, many are watching the polls. We鈥檝e also been watching the rolls 鈥 on the brown bears of Katmai National Park.
鈥,鈥 the chunky incumbent 128 Grazer once again claimed victory in Fat Bear Week, The mammoth mama bear is a 鈥溾 feared by many鈥攂ut she may not be the fattest of them all.
Grazer is a relatively svelte 700-800 pounds compared to runner-up Chunk鈥檚 1,200+, but this competition is about popularity as much as portliness. Tens of thousands of voters joined Grazer鈥檚 bid to exact revenge on Chunk, who killed one of Grazer鈥檚 cubs in July.
While fatness isn鈥檛 the only factor, brown bears must eat to compete鈥攕o let鈥檚 not forget the unsung MVPs of this beloved contest: 鈥淭hanks again to the salmon,鈥 Katmai National Park . QUICK HITS 鈥業 trekked pregnant through the jungle to get paracetamol鈥 鈥
Study links COVID infection to heart attacks, strokes 鈥
Climate change-fueled heat is especially deadly when mixed with meth in the summer months 鈥
A vaginal ring could soon offer women 3 months of HIV protection 鈥
What鈥檚 at Stake for Public Health in the 2024 U.S. Election? 鈥
Chris Beyrer Receives Desmond Tutu Award for HIV Research 鈥
Mali鈥檚 traditional theater gives psychiatric patients the stage 鈥 Issue No. 2795
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
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Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
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Health care workers in Florida are bracing for the potentially brutal effects of a from Hurricane Helene followed by the 鈥渕onstrous鈥 Hurricane Milton, .
- 鈥淭here is no doubt that they are weary, given the back-to-back storms,鈥 said Mary C. Mayhew, president and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association, adding that Helene increased vulnerabilities for hospitals statewide.
- Tampa General Hospital withstood Helene鈥檚 record-breaking storm surge because of a flood barrier called an AquaFence; but Milton poses an even greater threat, .
Meanwhile in Western North Carolina: Running water remains unavailable to ~136,000 people as critically damaged water systems require significant repairs, .
- The ongoing crisis has created a 鈥減ublic health emergency鈥 in the region, , with the region鈥檚 largest hospital depending on 40 continuously pumping water tankers, .
LGBTQ+ women face 鈥渟ubstantial鈥 health disparities, mental illness, and barriers to care, finds a National Center for Lesbian Rights that analyzed a national survey of 5,000 respondents.
A series of lawsuits against TikTok were filed yesterday by more than a dozen states and the District of Columbia, each alleging the app鈥檚 algorithm is designed to be addictive to kids and is harming youth mental health.
Nearly 50% of researchers quit science within a decade of starting their careers, with women more likely than men to stop publishing, a large published in Higher Education finds. NEGLECTED DISEASES Politics in Leprosy Elimination
A campaign in India promises to eliminate leprosy by 2027, three years ahead of the WHO鈥檚 target鈥攂ut advocates warn that the campaign is under-resourced and based more on political 鈥済randstanding鈥 than 鈥済enuine commitment.鈥
- Leprosy鈥攐ne of the world鈥檚 most stigmatized diseases鈥攊s fully curable.
- 60% of the 200,000 new cases reported annually are in India.
- India鈥檚 medical schools have not taught leprosy treatment and diagnosis for the last 20 years.
- COVID-19 stalled a previous vaccination rollout.
- Awareness campaigns have yet to be implemented, leading to worries that cases may be undercounted to meet goals.
Increasingly, researchers and physicians rely on genetic data to tailor treatments to patients, in a field known as precision medicine.
Glaring data gaps: Genetic information represented in biobanks used to guide treatment decisions is disproportionately focused on European ancestry鈥攍imiting critical insights and options for other populations.
- In particular, Indigenous groups in Latin America are underrepresented in these banks鈥攁 significant obstacle for researchers developing targeted treatments.
WOMEN'S HEALTH Fixing the Funding Disparity
Women and girls make up half of the population鈥攜et organizations dedicated to them receive less than 2% of all charitable giving in the U.S., reveals.
Philanthropist Melinda French Gates鈥攚ho has long focused on the lack of investment in women and girls鈥攁nnounced a new effort today to help address the disparity, inviting grant applications to her organization, Pivotal, through an .
- Applicants should address issues relating to women鈥檚 mental and physical health in the U.S. and around the world.
- The new program allocates $250 million, through grants of $1 million to $5 million each, adding to French Gates鈥 pledge to donate $1 billion to women and girls over the next two years.
Related: The 鈥榟uge disadvantage鈥 women behind femtech phenomenon face 鈥 OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Stigma adds to Burundi's challenges in mpox fight 鈥
The end of smallpox was ... the beginning for mpox 鈥
Loiasis: bringing an end to neglect 鈥
Severe Covid infections can inflame brain鈥檚 鈥榗ontrol centre鈥, research says 鈥
A Boy鈥檚 Bicycling Death Haunts a Black Neighborhood. 35 Years Later, There鈥檚 Still No Sidewalk. 鈥
The Supreme Court appears to have found a gun regulation it actually likes 鈥
Scientists discover a secret to regulating our body clock, offering new approach to end jet lag 鈥
The next lifesaving antibiotic might be a virus on your toothbrush 鈥 Issue No. 2794
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
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Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
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Recreating a hallmark of Parkinson's disease in human neurons
Recreating a hallmark of Parkinson's disease in human neurons
The challenges:
- Time spent in traffic congestion increased to in 2023 from in 2022.
- It has America鈥檚,, with long drive times and a lack of walkability, bikeability, and public transportation.
- Pollution from traffic snaking through the city鈥檚 urban core disproportionately impacts communities that have been historically marginalized because of the racist practice of .
- Replacing two-thirds of the city鈥檚 traffic lights with capable of adjusting traffic flows on demand while reducing commute times and stop-and-go fuel emissions.
- Constructing bike lanes, 86 miles of new , and 12 new transit centers with 24-hour bus service.
- Planting by 2050 and seeding citywide.
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners Junior doctors in West Bengal, India, launched a hunger strike demanding improved security for hospitals following the alleged rape and murder of a young female doctor last August.
Hospitals are urging the White House to help shore up supplies of IV bags after the North Carolina factory that produces 60% of the nation鈥檚 supply was shuttered temporarily by Hurricane Helene.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene in a Texas emergency abortion case, leaving in place a lower court ruling that exempts doctors in Texas from performing emergency abortions that conflict with the state鈥檚 abortion ban鈥攔ejecting a Biden Administration appeal that the Texas ban violates federal law.
20th-century gains in human life expectancy are slowing down鈥攔ising only six and a half years since 1990, of 10 wealthy countries, hinting that the human lifespan is reaching a limit. SURGERY The New Fight Against Fistula
In Nepal, fistula鈥攁 debilitating condition caused by a hole in the bladder鈥攊s more and more brought on by botched surgeries, not obstructed and prolonged labor.
- The devastating condition, which leaves women incontinent and leaking urine, affects at least 4,500 women in Nepal.
The Quote: 鈥淟atrogenic fistula [caused by a surgical error] is a sentinel indicator, it鈥檚 saying something about the quality of surgical care on offer,鈥 says Carrie Ngongo, a health systems specialist at the Research Triangle Institute.
GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HEALTH WORKERS Traumatized With Nowhere to Turn
In 2020 the Soldiers鈥 Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts, had one of the deadliest COVID-19 outbreaks to occur at a long-term nursing facility.
- The outbreak, in which dozens of veterans died, prompted a top-to-bottom overhaul of the facility and its leadership and a $56 million settlement for veterans and families.
The situation is a vivid example of 鈥渉ow labor conditions can jeopardize the health of employees鈥濃攁nd for lower-paid staff with limited power and resources at work, a lack of agency adds to the stress, reports Amy Maxmen.
OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Tragic statistics show African roads are among world's deadliest 鈥
CDC: 35% flu vaccine efficacy in South America may predict similar for US season 鈥
US CDC to issue second-highest travel alert for Rwanda on Marburg outbreak 鈥
Q&A: How California, now an epicenter for bird flu in dairy cattle, is monitoring the virus 鈥
Biden sets a 10-year deadline for US cities to replace lead pipes and make drinking water safer 鈥
Tiny brain, big deal: fruit fly diagram could transform neuroscience 鈥 Thanks for the tip, Xiaodong Cai!
Why So Many Hungarians Are Staying Child-Free 鈥
Turning AI's Hype into a Realistic Hope for Global Healthcare 鈥
8 ways to make the future brighter: from battling misinformation to honoring grandmas 鈥
Another Reason to Hate Ticks 鈥 Issue No. 2793
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
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Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
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The year that has passed since Hamas launched the deadliest attack in Israel鈥檚 history has been one of 鈥渦nimaginable suffering鈥 across the region, .
- 鈥淚t has been 12 months of unrelenting tragedy鈥攖his must end,鈥 said Joyce Msuya, the UN鈥檚 acting under-secretary-general and emergency relief coordinator.
- 1,500+ Israelis have been killed, mostly during Hamas鈥 Oct. 7 attacks; ~5,500 have been injured; and ~250 others were abducted. ~100 hostages remain in captivity, denied humanitarian assistance and subjected to inhumane treatment鈥攊ncluding sexual violence.
- 41,600+ Palestinians have been killed in Israel鈥檚 counterattacks, while ~96,600 have been injured. 鈥淣early the entire population of Gaza has been displaced, many of them multiple times, with no safe place to go,鈥 and civilians face 鈥渆xtreme deprivation鈥 with no access to food, electricity, or health care.
Rwanda launched a Marburg vaccine clinical trial yesterday to curb the outbreak, which has killed at least 12 people; those most at risk鈥攊ncluding health workers and patients鈥 contacts鈥攚ill be first in line for the 700 doses received for the study.
Mpox vaccinations were kicked off in the DRC over the weekend after the country received 265,000 doses; priority is being given to health workers, frontline responders, contacts of confirmed cases, and other at-risk groups.
Swarms of yellow jackets disturbed by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina have led to a spike in requests for Benadryl and epinephrine injections at pharmacies and hospitals, state health officials and relief groups report. SEPTEMBER鈥橲 MUST-READS The Sharp Bite of Inequity
Marking International Snakebite Awareness Day (September 19), 鈥攆rom the likelihood of encountering a venomous snake and being bitten to having protection like basic shoes and adequate shelter to access to treatment.
There鈥檚 an ambitious plan to help鈥攖丑别 鈥攂ut it is still grossly underfunded. Support from the , one of the few funding sources, is set to end soon, and no new donors have stepped up.
Everyday Poisoning in Afghanistan
Researchers trying to understand why Afghanistan has one of the world鈥檚 highest rates of lead exposure鈥攅specially as Afghan refugee children arriving in the U.S. showed 鈥渄ramatically elevated blood lead levels鈥濃攝eroed in on a culprit: aluminum cooking pots; one 鈥渓eached sufficient lead to exceed the childhood limit by 650-fold.鈥
Compounding Crisis in the Dari茅n Gap
The dense rainforest of the Dari茅n Gap has long been considered inaccessible, shielding Indigenous communities and the region鈥檚 rich biodiversity from outside impact. But the surge of migration through the region over the last five years has brought unprecedented pollution to the rainforest鈥攖hreatening the local ecosystem and the health of people who depend on it, community leaders say. GHN鈥檚 SEPTEMBER EXCLUSIVES Local Reporting Initiative:
- By Scovian Lillian
- By Adeel Saeed
Q&A:
- By Morgan Coulson
Commentaries:
- Zipporah Gathuya:
- Niranjan Konduri:
- Benjamin Mason Meier, Neha Saggi, Muhammad Jawad Noon, and Xinshu She:
A few years ago, pesticides鈥攐r 鈥減lant medicines,鈥 as the locals called them鈥攚ere used in roughly a third of Nepal鈥檚 suicides.
鈥淲hat if the pesticide had not been on the market?鈥 wondered one doctor, Rakesh Ghimire, recognizing that most suicides are impulsive and that the chemicals were too easily available. He helped ban the sale and import of eight pesticides in 2019, and deaths fell鈥攂y as much as 30% by 2023.
More good news:
Hope to fight rising heroin use: A Pretoria, South Africa program is replacing the rehab model with drop-in centers offering methadone and counseling, with excellent patient retention stats.
Shining a light on noma: The addition of the devastating gangrenous disease to WHO鈥檚 list of neglected tropical diseases is already leading to substantive research funding boosts and a stigma-busting effect.
Trees as treatment: Adding to tree planting鈥檚 climate benefits, University of Louisville researchers are documenting human health benefits of 鈥済reened鈥 neighborhoods, too. QUICK HITS At least 78 dead and dozens missing after ferry disaster in DR Congo 鈥
WHO approves first mpox test for quick diagnosis 鈥
H5N1 infects second farm worker in California as feds bolster vaccine supply 鈥
Is there hope for changes to the NHI Act? 鈥
Catholic hospital offered a bucket and towels to woman it denied abortion, California AG says 鈥
The activists working to abolish IVF 鈥
Pharma eyes male birth control pill for Gen Z 鈥 September 2024 Monthly Recap
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
The year that has passed since Hamas launched the deadliest attack in Israel鈥檚 history has been one of 鈥渦nimaginable suffering鈥 across the region, .
- 鈥淚t has been 12 months of unrelenting tragedy鈥攖his must end,鈥 said Joyce Msuya, the UN鈥檚 acting under-secretary-general and emergency relief coordinator.
- 1,500+ Israelis have been killed, mostly during Hamas鈥 Oct. 7 attacks; ~5,500 have been injured; and ~250 others were abducted. ~100 hostages remain in captivity, denied humanitarian assistance and subjected to inhumane treatment鈥攊ncluding sexual violence.
- 41,600+ Palestinians have been killed in Israel鈥檚 counterattacks, while ~96,600 have been injured. 鈥淣early the entire population of Gaza has been displaced, many of them multiple times, with no safe place to go,鈥 and civilians face 鈥渆xtreme deprivation鈥 with no access to food, electricity, or health care.
Rwanda launched a Marburg vaccine clinical trial yesterday to curb the outbreak, which has killed at least 12 people; those most at risk鈥攊ncluding health workers and patients鈥 contacts鈥攚ill be first in line for the 700 doses received for the study.
Mpox vaccinations were kicked off in the DRC over the weekend after the country received 265,000 doses; priority is being given to health workers, frontline responders, contacts of confirmed cases, and other at-risk groups.
Swarms of yellow jackets disturbed by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina have led to a spike in requests for Benadryl and epinephrine injections at pharmacies and hospitals, state health officials and relief groups report. SEPTEMBER鈥橲 MUST-READS The Sharp Bite of Inequity
Marking International Snakebite Awareness Day (September 19), 鈥攆rom the likelihood of encountering a venomous snake and being bitten to having protection like basic shoes and adequate shelter to access to treatment.
There鈥檚 an ambitious plan to help鈥攖丑别 鈥攂ut it is still grossly underfunded. Support from the , one of the few funding sources, is set to end soon, and no new donors have stepped up.
Everyday Poisoning in Afghanistan
Researchers trying to understand why Afghanistan has one of the world鈥檚 highest rates of lead exposure鈥攅specially as Afghan refugee children arriving in the U.S. showed 鈥渄ramatically elevated blood lead levels鈥濃攝eroed in on a culprit: aluminum cooking pots; one 鈥渓eached sufficient lead to exceed the childhood limit by 650-fold.鈥
Compounding Crisis in the Dari茅n Gap
The dense rainforest of the Dari茅n Gap has long been considered inaccessible, shielding Indigenous communities and the region鈥檚 rich biodiversity from outside impact. But the surge of migration through the region over the last five years has brought unprecedented pollution to the rainforest鈥攖hreatening the local ecosystem and the health of people who depend on it, community leaders say. GHN鈥檚 SEPTEMBER EXCLUSIVES Local Reporting Initiative:
- By Scovian Lillian
- By Adeel Saeed
Q&A:
- By Morgan Coulson
Commentaries:
- Zipporah Gathuya:
- Niranjan Konduri:
- Benjamin Mason Meier, Neha Saggi, Muhammad Jawad Noon, and Xinshu She:
A few years ago, pesticides鈥攐r 鈥減lant medicines,鈥 as the locals called them鈥攚ere used in roughly a third of Nepal鈥檚 suicides.
鈥淲hat if the pesticide had not been on the market?鈥 wondered one doctor, Rakesh Ghimire, recognizing that most suicides are impulsive and that the chemicals were too easily available. He helped ban the sale and import of eight pesticides in 2019, and deaths fell鈥攂y as much as 30% by 2023.
More good news:
Hope to fight rising heroin use: A Pretoria, South Africa program is replacing the rehab model with drop-in centers offering methadone and counseling, with excellent patient retention stats.
Shining a light on noma: The addition of the devastating gangrenous disease to WHO鈥檚 list of neglected tropical diseases is already leading to substantive research funding boosts and a stigma-busting effect.
Trees as treatment: Adding to tree planting鈥檚 climate benefits, University of Louisville researchers are documenting human health benefits of 鈥済reened鈥 neighborhoods, too. QUICK HITS At least 78 dead and dozens missing after ferry disaster in DR Congo 鈥
WHO approves first mpox test for quick diagnosis 鈥
H5N1 infects second farm worker in California as feds bolster vaccine supply 鈥
Is there hope for changes to the NHI Act? 鈥
Catholic hospital offered a bucket and towels to woman it denied abortion, California AG says 鈥
The activists working to abolish IVF 鈥
Pharma eyes male birth control pill for Gen Z 鈥 Issue No. 2792
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
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Hurricane Helene鈥檚 rampage across the U.S. Southeast this week killed more than 160 people鈥攁lready making it one of the country鈥檚 deadliest hurricanes in a century, second only to Hurricane Katrina, .
And the danger hasn鈥檛 passed. shows that tropical storms have a long-term impact on public health鈥攃ontributing to elevated mortality long after the clean-up.
- The analysis of 501 U.S. tropical storms from 1930 to 2015 found that the average tropical storm or hurricane 鈥渋ndirectly accelerated the death鈥 of an additional 7,000鈥11,000 people over the next 15 years, .
- Tropical storms contributed to more U.S. deaths鈥3.6 to 5.2 million鈥攄uring the study period than automobile crashes, infectious diseases, and combat.
- Post-storm stress may worsen cancer, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.
- The high cost of hurricane recovery and home repairs can have severe economic repercussions, reducing their health care spending for years to come.
U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates slipped last year, translating to ~80,000 fewer kids covered with MMR, DTaP, polio, and chickenpox immunizations鈥攁nd exemptions rose to an all-time high of 3.3%, shared yesterday.
The FDA missed its September 30 deadline to release new suggested best practices for pulse oximeters to increase the accuracy of blood oxygen readings in people of color; researchers in 2020 found that the devices often miss low blood oxygen levels in patients with darker skin.
Global spending to fight lead poisoning has doubled thanks to a USAID and UNICEF initiative, Partnership for a Lead-Free Future, backed with $150 million in initial funding from USAID, the Gates Foundation, Open Philanthropy, and other sources. GHN EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY A health care worker connects with callers from the community using Chipatala Cha Pa Foni (Health Center by Phone). Lilongwe, Malawi in 2016. Paul Joseph Brown Leveraging Technology to Bridge Health System Gaps
In the quest to restore global immunization to pre-pandemic levels, some important data points are known: 鈥淲e know where these children are (mostly in fragile and conflict-affected countries), and which vaccines they missed (measles vaccines, among others),鈥 .
What鈥檚 missing: An understanding of community preferences and perspectives on when, where, and how people receive immunizations and other health care services; African populations, in particular, are severely underrepresented in available data.
Tech can 鈥渃lose the loop鈥: Mobile health apps, health hotlines, digital avatars, chatbots, and other tools can help underreached communities share feedback consistently and discreetly.
Success stories:
- A health hotline in Malawi helps disseminate鈥攁nd collect鈥攈ealth information, the spread of misinformation and flagging early signs of outbreaks.
- uses machine learning to analyze radio content in Uganda, gleaning insights that inform outbreak tracking.
DATA POINT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RIGHTS Abortion Pills Under Lock and Key in Louisiana
Abortion pills are now considered 鈥渃ontrolled dangerous substances鈥 in Louisiana under a first-of-its-kind law that took effect Tuesday, criminalizing possession without a prescription,
Mifepristone and misoprostol are used for medication abortions and in routine miscarriage management. Misoprostol is also used to stop dangerous bleeding after childbirth.
- The new law requires that the pills be kept in a locked box in hospitals, raising fears that physicians will not be able to access the drugs quickly in emergency situations, .
- The pills are now in the same category as opioids, antidepressants, and other potentially addictive substances, .
They used cat postcards! The global postcard craze of the early 20th century was the social media of yesteryear, complete with concerns about privacy (no envelope!) and whether the short-form medium was making people dumber.
Nevertheless, Edwardian mail bags felt the weight of the cat craze as does today鈥檚 internet, stuffed with postcards of 鈥渃ats just being cats鈥濃攐r dressed up as humans, doing day jobs.
Even the Suffragettes harnessed the power of the feline, deploying images of cats in jaunty hats, campaigning for women鈥檚 right to vote. Suffice to say, their efforts paid off!
QUICK HITS US breast cancer rate rising sharply even as deaths fall: study 鈥
Brazil eliminates lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem 鈥
Was Missouri鈥檚 bird flu case a one-off or something more? Quest for answers faces testing delay 鈥
Most accurate ultrasound test could detect 96% of women with ovarian cancer 鈥
Condoms aren鈥檛 a fact of life for young Americans. They鈥檙e an afterthought 鈥
Opinion: Want People to Embrace Public Health? Make It More Like Weather Forecasting. 鈥
Can flashing lights stall Alzheimer鈥檚? What the science shows 鈥 Issue No. 2791
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
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Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
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Concerns about the Marburg outbreak in Rwanda are rising as more than two dozen cases have been confirmed and the WHO has warned of the risk of the disease spreading to neighboring countries and beyond.
The latest:
- Confirmed cases have reached 29鈥10 of which have been fatal, .
- Possible cases have been reported in districts that border the DRC, Tanzania, and Uganda.
- A contact of a confirmed case traveled to Belgium but has completed 21 days of monitoring and is not considered a risk to public health.
- At least one vaccine trial will be launched if the outbreak continues.
- The trial would follow the ring vaccination strategy that involves immunization of an infected individual鈥檚 contacts.
South Africa has pulled Top Score Instant Porridge from shelves after three children in Eastern Cape province who ate the porridge died; the cause is not known.
U.S. women with sickle cell disease were more likely to undergo tubal sterilization post-delivery than people without the condition鈥8.8% compared to 6.7%, ; the contrast is more extreme in certain states, including Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
The WHO validated the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in Pakistan, crediting the country鈥檚 use of the for reducing transmission of the disease, which can result in irreversible blindness; Pakistan is the 19th country to reach the milestone. MPOX Sex Workers鈥攁nd Miners鈥攁t the Epicenter
In Kamituga, a DRC mining town, sex work is flourishing鈥攁nd so is mpox.
Sex workers and their clients鈥攎ostly miners鈥攁re key to blocking the spread of the virus鈥檚 dangerous new variant, per health authorities.
- Many of the town's estimated 40,000 sex workers鈥攕ome 13% of the population鈥攁re single mothers with few job alternatives.
Protection tools in short supply:
- It鈥檚 unclear when any of Congo鈥檚 ~250,000 vaccines will make it to Kamituga鈥檚 sex workers and miners.
- Until then, advocates are emphasizing education, as well as condoms鈥攚hich they say are underused, but sex workers say are too expensive.
Related:
11 new cases of monkeypox reported in Argentina 鈥
WHO鈥檚 Slow Mpox Response Calls For a Rethink 鈥
Think *Your* Job Sucks? Epidemiologists Study Mpox By Collecting Used Condoms 鈥 GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES INSURANCE No Medical Code? Big Problem
Years of youth sports took a toll on 17-year-old Preston Nafz鈥檚 body, leaving him in chronic pain that physical therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs didn鈥檛 help.
Ultimately, a doctor recommended Nafz undergo a to mend damaged tissue in his pelvis.
Missing code: Unfortunately, the procedure had no medical billing or 鈥淐PT鈥 code鈥攚hich insurers identify from provider claim forms to determine the amount of reimbursement.
The cost: As is often the case for procedures that lack codes, Nafz鈥檚 insurer denied the claim, forcing his father to pay more than $7,000 upfront for the surgery.
- With extra documentation, he was eventually reimbursed鈥攆or $620.26.
The unprecedented crises of Earth鈥檚 systems brought about by human activity require a planetary health approach that addresses pollution, water scarcity, extreme weather, changing patterns of disease transmission, and other threats.
Join a free webinar by the American Public Health Association and the Planetary Health Alliance to learn about the vital connections between ecological systems and human health.
Speakers will share educational materials and practical tools for educators and learners.
Details:
- Thursday, October 3 at 2 p.m. EDT
Finding help to get sober is hard. In Kentucky, it's even harder as a mom. 鈥
WHO calls for urgent transformation of care and support systems for older people 鈥
Radon, even at levels below EPA guideline for mitigation, is linked to childhood leukemia 鈥
New advisory body needed to guide U.S. biomedical research policy, panel says 鈥
The huge toll of PhDs on mental health: data reveal stark effects 鈥
Three Effective Ways to Use Routinely Collected Data to Evaluate Health Programs 鈥 Insights from Rwanda鈥檚 Mass Drug Administration Program 鈥 Issue No. 2790
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Contributors include Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Annalies Winny, Morgan Coulson, Kate Belz, Melissa Hartman, Jackie Powder, Aliza Rosen, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .
Please send the Global Health NOW free sign-up link to friends and colleagues:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
Copyright 2024 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. Views and opinions expressed in Global Health NOW do not necessarily reflect those of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Johns Hopkins University.
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