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96 Global Health NOW: Inside India鈥檚 Funding Failure in Rare Genetic Disease Care November 25, 2025 TOP STORIES Taps are running dry across Iran; if rain doesn鈥檛 come soon, Tehran鈥檚 10 million people may be forced to evacuate amid the country鈥檚 worst water crisis in decades鈥攂lamed on mismanagement of natural resources exacerbated by climate change.      Semaglutide fell short in 鈥渉otly anticipated鈥� Alzheimer鈥檚 trials, deflating hopes that anti-obesity drugs could delay the progression of neurodegenerative diseases鈥攂ut the research could yield clues about potential anti-inflammatory and preventive effects.     A Gavi-UNICEF deal to cut the price of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine鈥攖o under $3 a dose鈥攃ould protect 7 million additional children by 2030; 21 countries have rolled out the vaccine since its introduction in 2024.      A simple, scalable hospital program improved hand hygiene, sped up sepsis treatment, and reduced severe maternal infections by 32%,  that demonstrates the lifesaving potential of small interventions even in resource-limited settings.   EDITOR鈥橲 NOTE Thanksgiving Break    GHN will not be publishing for the rest of this week for the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. We鈥檒l be back in your email box on Monday, December 1, with more news!      + Important update: We heard that the form for the  closed prematurely for a spell yesterday, ahead of the 11:59 pm deadline. We are sorry if that affected you, and to make up for it, we will accept entries through Monday, December 1. Thanks to everyone who has already entered! 鈥�Dayna IN FOCUS: GHN EXCLUSIVE REPORT People pass by Mumbai鈥檚 King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, one of India鈥檚 13 centers of excellence in rare disease care. Jan. 28, 2017. Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg via Getty Inside India鈥檚 Funding Failure in Rare Genetic Disease Care  
When India launched a rare genetic disease policy in 2021, it was hailed as a turning point in medical care for  afflicted by such diseases.  
  But thousands of children across India have waited for medicines鈥攁nd some have died鈥攁s the government鈥檚 best intentions have been unraveled by red tape, withheld funds, and lengthy court battles, . 
  Two main issues: 

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare approves only about 30% of funding requests. 

• Patients who do receive funding find that expensive medicines can quickly run through the government鈥檚 $60,000 per patient spending cap.  

Case study: Arohi Kajabe, a 3-year-old who has Gaucher鈥檚 disease, a rare genetic disorder that silently destroys vital organs, died in February after waiting for more than two years for medicines that never came.  

• Her father, Yogesh Kajabe, a farm laborer, sold his only piece of land and borrowed $6,000 to keep her alive. Each of the two monthly injections she needed cost $1,200. 

Government response: A senior official said the government is planning to raise the rare disease budget to $117 million over the next couple years. 
  The Quote: 鈥淭he policy is a fragmented patchwork,鈥� says Archana Panda, co-founder of CureSMA India, a spinal muscular atrophy NGO. 鈥淲ithout a permanent national fund and insurance integration, India鈥檚 rare disease framework will keep collapsing under its own weight.鈥�   THE QUOTE
  "We鈥�re seeing a massive level of loss." 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌� Atul Gawande, former USAID assistant administrator for Global Health, on the consequences of U.S. government aid cuts. 鈥� NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES Is Extreme Heat Driving an 鈥楨pidemic鈥� of Kidney Disease?    Over the last two decades, researchers have seen a surge of kidney disease among a demographic not typically at risk for the ailment: young, otherwise healthy outdoor workers who don't have diabetes or genetic risk factors.     The condition has been dubbed CKDu鈥攃hronic kidney disease of unknown causes鈥攂ut researchers say an underlying cause is increasingly evident: extreme heat and chronic dehydration, writes journalist Carrie Arnold, reporting from El Salvador鈥檚 Pacific coast.    Far-reaching crisis, few resources: Increasing rates of CKDu have been reported across Central America and among Nepalese migrants who worked in the Middle East. 

• Many workers struggle to access needed dialysis and medications.  

A push for prevention: Interventions providing water, rest, and shade have .       HAPPY THANKSGIVING! QUICK HITS First death reported from rare bird flu strain 鈥�      NIH shake-up to grant decision-making draws concerns of political meddling 鈥�      COP30 Ends with No Text on Fossil Fuels Phase-Out - But Plans for a Conference In 2026 鈥�     California Is Tired of Letting People Die 鈥�     COVID vaccine tech could limit snake venom damage 鈥�   
A bowhead whale's DNA offers clues to fight cancer 鈥�   Issue No. 2828
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, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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The global response to HIV is facing its most serious setback in decades, UNAIDS warned on Tuesday, as abrupt funding cuts and a deteriorating human rights environment disrupt prevention and treatment services across dozens of countries.

96 Global Health NOW: Roots and Ramifications of Romania鈥檚 Measles Crisis; and Ghana鈥檚 Dangerously Packed Prisons November 24, 2025 TOP STORIES Five people have now died in Ethiopia鈥檚 Marburg virus outbreak, per a Saturday Ministry of Health update that also placed the confirmed case count at 10 and the case fatality rate at 50%.     HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria control 鈥渉angs in the balance鈥� after a significant shortfall in donations to the Global Fund to Fight Aids, TB and Malaria following the G20 summit; of the organization鈥檚 $18 billion budget, just $11.3 billion has been confirmed.     Farm and animal-related workers are being urged by European authorities to get vaccinated for the flu to prevent human and bird influenza strains from genetically mixing, as the region braces for one of the most severe flu seasons in 10+ years.

94% of lung cancer cases in the U.S. could be detected if screening were made available for Americans between the ages of 40 and 85鈥攁nd ~26,000 deaths could be prevented per year even if just 30% were screened (and separate from on lung cancer screening published last week). IN FOCUS Roots and Ramifications of Romania鈥檚 Measles Crisis   Romania has the lowest measles vaccination rate in the EU, with just two-thirds of people fully vaccinated.    The consequences: 30,000+ measles cases and 23 deaths were recorded in 2024, including five infants.    Global warning: The country鈥檚 contracting coverage over 30+ years offers critical insights for other countries watching their vaccination rates plummet, global health experts say.  

• "The outbreaks aren't only a matter of poverty and not understanding the importance of immunization. It's multifactorial,鈥� said Mihai Craiu, a pediatrician at Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy. 

Some of those factors:  

• Historic backlash: Vaccines were mandatory under Romania鈥檚 Communist regime, leading to widespread mistrust of immunizations after the country鈥檚 post-1989 shift to democracy.  

• Further flashpoints: In 2008, the push for HPV vaccination led to politicization and media controversy and deepened vaccine hesitancy. 

• Diminished infrastructure: Chronic underfunding, lack of access for minorities, and COVID-era disruptions have furthered the spiral.  

Slow and steady solutions: Romanian health leaders are seeking evidence-based approaches to take on mistrust and misinformation, including .        GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HUMAN RIGHTS Ghana鈥檚 Dangerously Packed Prisons 
Ghana鈥檚 extremely overcrowded prisons are fueling the spread of TB, measles, and a range of neglected tropical diseases, clinicians warn.     By the numbers: The average occupancy rate for Ghana鈥檚 43 prisons is 137%.  

• Kumasi Central Prison, a 600-inmate facility, has held as many as ~1,900 incarcerated people.  

• And prison infirmaries have only a fraction of the beds needed.  

鈥楾icking time bombs鈥� for disease: Many prisons in Ghana are converted colonial forts that lack adequate ventilation or hygienic infrastructure. And infections are not contained within prison walls:  

• 鈥淚n many cases, prisoners arrive already sick, or return to their communities sick,鈥� said Yaw A. Amoako with the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine.  

  QUICK HITS  Women fleeing Sudan鈥檚 El Fasher face a new battle: To keep their families safe 鈥�     A battle with my blood 鈥�      What To Know About the CDC鈥檚 Baseless New Guidance on Autism 鈥�     While no one was watching: Tenuous status of CDC prion unit, risk of CWD to people worry scientists 鈥�     Can vaping help wean people off cigarettes? Anti-smoking advocates are sharply split 鈥�     To keep babies healthy, a New Orleans case manager delivers stability in the face of federal uncertainty 鈥�     The Doulas Bringing Babies into the World During Hurricanes 鈥�   Issue No. 2827
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, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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  Copyright 2025 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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Farah Youssef refused to let the loss of her leg four years ago during conflict in Gaza to sideline her ambitions.

Vaccine alliance Gavi and children鈥檚 agency UNICEF have struck a new pricing deal that will sharply cut the cost of a key malaria vaccine and make it possible to protect nearly seven million additional children by 2030, the agencies announced on Sunday.

96 51吃瓜网Perspectives on Global Health: November 2025 Issue November 2025  
NEWSLETTER

This November, 

We are highlighting some recently published articles on the blog:

馃敼&苍产蝉辫;In Conversation with Zackie Achmat: Five Decades of Defiance, Love, and Resolve
馃敼 Navigating Health Insurance While Studying at McGill
馃敼 Global Health Night 2025
馃敼 An Interview with McGill's Student Wellness Hub on Care Access and Capacity on Campus
馃敼 Surgery at Sea: Why My Time on Mercy Ships Changed How I See Global Health

Not to mention...
馃敼&苍产蝉辫;Spotlight Awards are Open! Winter 2025 Call for Health Systems and Health Technologies

Thank you for being part of our community. Enjoy the read! 馃挋鉁�

-->  Selected Articles for this Month  In Conversation with Zackie Achmat: Five Decades of Defiance, Love, and Resolve 鈥淗ope is passive; resolve is active. That鈥檚 why I believe in resolve, not hope.鈥�
- Author: Bhavya Kalra --> Navigating Health Insurance While Studying at McGill "At McGill, [navigating health insurance] becomes even more complex as young adults, many of whom are navigating their own health and finances for the first time, converge on campus from around the world, bringing diverse health care experiences and expectations."
- Author: Hillary Wright --> Global Health Night 2025 鈥淚 left the evening feeling what I had hoped to: re-energized, inspired, and determined to keep going. The combination of moving lecture and honest discussion reignited something I hadn鈥檛 realized had dimmed: a sense of purpose. McGill鈥檚 global health community is passionate, resilient, and deeply committed, and I was proud to be even a small part of it with my research.鈥�
 - Author: Rebecca Winkelaar --> An Interview with McGill鈥檚 Student Wellness Hub on Care Access and Capacity on Campus 鈥淭he Hub鈥檚 answers show a clear awareness of the challenges that come with delivering student healthcare and a willingness to be accountable and solution-oriented. However, a major issue remains: a lack of transparency and limited accessibility of information."
 - Author: Bridget Li --> Surgery at Sea: Why My Time on Mercy Ships Changed How I See Global Health 鈥淔ive billion people. That鈥檚 the estimated number of individuals worldwide who lack access to safe, affordable surgical care when they need it. For many of us in high-income countries, surgery is a phone call, a referral, or a short wait away. For others, it is an unattainable luxury 鈥� a gap that can mean the difference between living in pain or living with dignity.鈥�
 - Author: Ange-Cedric N鈥檢i -->  In the News
  Stay up to date with news and opinions on Global Health From November 18th to 24th, WHO is highlighting Antimicrobial Resistance or AMR Awareness week. AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents. As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents become ineffective and infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. Learn more about AMR Awareness and resources . -->  Share your Perspective on Global Health
  We are excited to announce our Winter 2025 Call for Papers in the following areas! 

• Health Systems 
• Health Technologies

The Health Systems theme includes and is not limited to work in healthcare policy, healthcare delivery, healthcare management, and healthcare financing. Some topics that we encourage writers to explore include maternal and reproductive health, barriers to mental health services, systemic racism in health and medicine, rural-urban care disparities, and disability injustice. 

The Healthcare Technologies theme includes and is not limited to emerging technologies in healthcare, equitable access to clinical trials, vaccine delivery, point of care technologies, genetic testing, AI, and personalized medicine.  

We encourage writers to explore creative aspects of these themes. For example, how do cultural practices or the arts allow us to better understand the illness experience and personalize the care people receive?  What are creative solutions to public health challenges?  

 Click  for submission guidelines.

You can submit your article, photo essay or article pitch to us by emailing us at: globalhealthblog@mcgill.ca. --> Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest information and experiences in global health! Follow us on social media  --> Copyright 漏 2017 51吃瓜网Global Health Programs, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
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51吃瓜网Perspectives in Global Health Blog · McIntyre Medical Building, Room 633 · 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler · Montreal, Qc H3G 1Y6 · Canada

96 Global Health NOW: Violence Against Women Remains a 鈥楧eeply Neglected Crisis鈥� November 20, 2025 TOP STORIES Europe has detected 46 cases of mpox clade 1b since August, including at least 14 cases among people with no known travel history or contact links; the highly infectious strain emerged in DRC in 2023 and triggered an epidemic in Africa.  

Maternal infections and deaths were cut by 32% in a multicountry clinical trial involving 430,000+ women, which implemented 鈥渁 structured, sustainable approach鈥� to preventing maternal sepsis that included a focus on hand hygiene and infection prevention and management strategies.  

62,000 lung cancer deaths could be prevented over a five-year period if more people were screened for it, that found that just 18% of eligible individuals received lung cancer screening.  

Water fluoridation has no link to declining cognition in children or adults, , which examined education and medical records of a nationally representative group of 26,000 Americans.   IN FOCUS Silhouettes form the backdrop of an International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women protest in Mexico City, on November 25, 2024. Gerardo Vieyra/NurPhoto via Getty Violence Against Women Remains a 鈥楧eeply Neglected Crisis鈥�  

~840 million women globally have experienced intimate partner or sexual violence in their lifetimes, released yesterday that describes the problem as a "deeply neglected crisis,鈥� . 

More numbers:    

• 11% (316 million) of women and girls ages 15 and older were subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner over the past year.
   
• Violence starts early, affecting 16% of adolescent girls ages 15鈥�19 (12.5 million), . 

Mounting evidence, declining funding: This year鈥檚 global health aid cuts especially affect sexual and reproductive health services鈥攊mportant entry points for survivors of violence to access care, . 

What鈥檚 needed:  

• Strengthened survivor-centered health, legal, and social services; investment in data systems to track progress; and bolstered enforcement of existing laws and policies, launched alongside the report.
   
• Stronger laws and enforcement of online abuse, including harassment, cyberstalking, defamation, and deepfakes, article that also calls on tech companies to step up and provides online safety resources and tips.  

What progress looks like:  

• Country-level projects like Cambodia鈥檚 effort to update domestic violence legislation, improve services, and refurbish shelters, . 
   
• National action plans in Ecuador, Liberia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda that are backed by domestic financing.

OPPORTUNITY Last Chance: Enter the Untold Stories Contest! 

Send your story ideas by Monday to , co-sponsored by GHN and the Consortium of Universities for Global Health to raise awareness of an underreported issue.  

It鈥檚 easy:  

• In 150 words or less, tell us why your issue deserves more attention. If you win, we鈥檒l provide the spotlight it deserves.    

Bonus: You could win a free registration to the !  

• Deadline: November 24, 11:59 p.m. EST
•  

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION 86ing 6-7

American educators weary of a certain ubiquitous two-number phrase being blurted out in the classroom have reached their wits' end鈥攐nly to find another level of insanity exists. 6-7 levels, in fact.  

Despite being named , 6-7 is not a word and has no real definition. But that hasn鈥檛 stopped the phrase from taking over Gen Alpha classrooms to the point where teachers are assigning 67鈥�670-word essays for infractions鈥攚ith limited results, .  

Now 5-0 has gotten involved. This week, school resource officers with the Tippecanoe County Sheriff鈥檚 Office in Indiana banning the phrase and following two officers making citations rain in the cafeteria. 

• The truth: 鈥淯nfortunately, just like the phrase, the law and the tickets have no weight,鈥� .  

A glimmer of hope: Older generations鈥� embrace of the phrase could deem it 鈥渃ringe to the younger generation,鈥� .  

GHN is committed to stemming epidemics, so we promise to do our part to eradicate 6-7 with the vaccine of un-coolness ... starting with publishing this Diversion.

QUICK HITS

Under RFK Jr., CDC promotes false vaccines-autism link it once discredited 鈥�

As infant botulism cases climb to 31, recalled ByHeart baby formula is still on some store shelves 鈥�

New Gene-Editing Strategy Could Help Development of Treatments for Rare Diseases 鈥�

How Big Tobacco stalls SA鈥檚 smoking and vaping law 鈥�

Researchers develop new method to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria using bacteriophages 鈥�

Homicides have fallen sharply in these five cities 鈥� and across the U.S. 鈥�

Issue No. 2826
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, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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  Copyright 2025 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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A new study has uncovered promising therapeutic strategies against one of the deadliest forms of prostate cancer.

51吃瓜网 researchers at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) identified a mechanism driving neuroendocrine prostate cancer, a rare and highly aggressive subtype for which there currently are no effective treatment options.

A new study has uncovered promising therapeutic strategies against one of the deadliest forms of prostate cancer.

51吃瓜网 researchers at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) identified a mechanism driving neuroendocrine prostate cancer, a rare and highly aggressive subtype for which there currently are no effective treatment options.

96 Global Health NOW: Lenacapavir Rollout Reaches Africa; and The Perils of Migrating While Pregnant November 19, 2025 TOP STORIES Ultra-processed foods are linked to harm in every major human organ, that calls out profit-driven global food corporations and emphasizes that relying on individual behavior change isn鈥檛 enough.      A new TB treatment that includes the antibiotic sorfequiline could improve cure rates and shorten treatment time by months, per clinical trial results presented Wednesday by TB Alliance researchers at the Union Conference on Lung Health in Copenhagen.     Most Americans trust childhood vaccines鈥� effectiveness, finds a new , in which 63% of surveyed Americans reported being extremely or very confident that childhood vaccines work in preventing serious illnesses; however, Republican voters鈥� support for vaccines and vaccine requirements continues to fall.     A new Lyme disease test can identify a range of different bacterial cells related to the disease through molecular testing鈥攁 more rapid and reliable method than current processes, per research presented last week at the Association for Molecular Pathology Annual Meeting & Expo.   IN FOCUS A volunteer counselor with a mobile testing team talks to a villager before she has an HIV test, in Sikwaazwa village, Zambia, on November 12, 2003. Gideon Mendel for The International HIV/AIDS Alliance/Corbis via Getty Lenacapavir Rollout Reaches Africa    The breakthrough HIV prevention shot lenacapavir has arrived in Eswatini and Zambia just months after U.S. approval, marking what advocates call an unusually fast global deployment of a game-changing drug to LMICs that need it most, .     A small, but significant start: Each country received 500 doses of the twice-yearly injection, which provides near-complete protection against HIV. 

• The deliveries mark the first step toward providing ~2 million doses by 2028 through the Global Fund, the U.S. State Department, and Gilead Sciences, which developed the vaccine.  

Disrupted delivery: The vaccine arrives as U.S. aid cuts have weakened health systems鈥� ability to administer it, say health advocates.  

• 鈥淲e are starting from a deficit that we didn鈥檛 have to,鈥� said Mitchell Warren, executive director of AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition.  

South Africa cut out: Though South Africa has the world鈥檚 largest HIV-positive population, the country is being excluded from the U.S.-funded doses, , a decision critics described as 鈥渟elf-defeating鈥� and driven by President Trump鈥檚 political tensions with the country.     Looking ahead: Gilead has sought approval across multiple high-burden African countries; but demand is expected to exceed supply as rollouts expand, .   THE QUOTE
  鈥淭he process at HHS has moved 鈥榝rom evidence-based decision-making to decision-based evidence-making.鈥欌�� 鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌斺�� 鈥揇aniel Jernigan, 30-year veteran of CDC who resigned in August, .
  MATERNAL HEALTH The Perils of Migrating While Pregnant    For pregnant women among the nomadic herders in Jammu and Kashmir, the annual springtime journey across the 3,500-meter-high Pir Panjal pass on foot is especially dangerous: The women often carry heavy loads and eventually give birth along the trail鈥攕ometimes after days without proper food or rest.  

• Exhaustion, anemia, and infections are common problems among the women who make it to clinics, but many never do.

• 鈥淲e survive by luck. But every year, another woman does not,鈥� said Fatima Deader, a pastoralist who gave birth while trekking.  

Global angle: Mobile-clinic models in Mongolia, Ethiopia, and Somalia offer maternal care models for pastoralist women. But such support in Kashmir has yet to materialize.      OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS The next pandemic is already here: Antimicrobial resistance is upending a century of achievements in global health 鈥�     Tuberculosis: MSF findings show WHO algorithms could double the number of children diagnosed and treated 鈥�      Aid for data: Trump administration trades funding for health information 鈥�     WHO to lose nearly a quarter of its workforce 鈥� 2,000 jobs 鈥� due to US withdrawing funding 鈥�     Flu season could be nasty this winter 鈥�      As 'California sober' catches on, study suggests cannabis use reduces short-term alcohol consumption 鈥�   Issue No. 2825
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, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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Use of artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating in healthcare 鈥� but basic legal safety nets that protect patients and health workers are lacking.

96 Global Health NOW: Low-Hanging Fruit for the 鈥楢merica First鈥� Global Health Strategy; and Vision for a Dementia Village November 18, 2025 TOP STORIES 74,000+ patients were enrolled in the 383 clinical trials interrupted by NIH funding cuts this year, per a new 鈥攔aising concerns about avoidable waste, data quality, and ethical obligations to patients.
  22 million people+, including many children, could die from preventable causes by 2030 as a result of U.S. and European aid cuts鈥攖he first time in decades that France, Germany, the U.K., and the U.S. are all cutting aid at the same time, per a new analysis submitted to The Lancet Global Health (not yet published, pending peer review).  

Nestl茅 is still adding sugar to most baby cereals sold across Africa, per an investigation by Public Eye鈥攁 Swiss group that accuses the company of contributing to 鈥渁 preventable public health catastrophe鈥� amid rising childhood obesity rates in Africa.  
A group of South Carolina lawmakers are advancing a bill that would allow judges to sentence women who get abortions to decades in prison; it could also restrict the use of IUDs and in vitro fertilization. IN FOCUS: GHN EXCLUSIVE Medical doctor and surgeon Bibi Khadija Sadat completes a C-section after assisting another surgeon at the maternity unit of the provincial hospital in Ghazni, Afghanistan, on August 27. Elise Blanchard/Getty Low-Hanging Fruit for the 鈥楢merica First鈥� Global Health Strategy     The new America First Global Health Strategy makes no mention of global surgery鈥攂ut it should, .      Why? Solving the surgical care gap may be 鈥渢he proven cost-effective, lifesaving target that the U.S. Department of State seeks,鈥� write the authors from Harvard Medical School鈥檚 Program in Global Surgery and Social Change. 

• are lost annually to diseases, mostly noncommunicable, that require surgery鈥攆ar surpassing the toll of historic U.S. foreign aid priorities that emphasized infectious diseases. 

Synergies with surgery: Momentum to close the surgical care gap is already underway.  

• ~30 LMICs have already developed that 鈥渟eamlessly align with the tenets of the U.S.'s new global health strategy,鈥� which requires aid-receiving countries to coinvest as a bridge to self-sufficiency. 

• The NSOAPs identify specific infrastructure, workforce, and information technology goals, three pillars of the U.S. plan. 

Strengthening the surgical system strengthens the entire health system鈥攁nd that鈥檚 鈥渢he best defense against pandemics鈥攁 core pillar of the U.S. plan,鈥� write Dawood and Park, who also detail more of the strategy鈥檚 silver linings鈥撯�揳nd opportunities for integration that 鈥渁id-seeking countries cannot afford to overlook.鈥濃��      GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES DEMENTIA Rethinking Elder Care     Efforts to build 鈥渄ementia villages鈥� in Washington, D.C., are gaining traction, as advocates push to overhaul the caregiving model for a rapidly growing dementia population.  

• D.C. has the nation鈥檚 highest dementia rate, affecting 16% of its seniors鈥攎any of whom are Black and more likely to live alone.  

The model: a community in the Netherlands called , where residents are able to live in small households, shop, garden, and move freely with support.     The bigger picture: With U.S. dementia cases projected to double by 2060, specialists say a paradigm shift in care鈥攊ncluding housing and caregiver support鈥攁re urgently needed.         Related: Dementia housing without locked wards? It's a small but growing movement 鈥�   QUICK HITS In Gaza and Beyond, Child Marriage Persists Long After a Ceasefire 鈥�     DOGE Man Drives US Bilateral Health Agreements With African Countries 鈥�     C.D.C. Links Measles Outbreaks in Multiple States for First Time 鈥�     Texas measles outbreak may have spurred parents to vaccinate infants before CDC responded 鈥�     Health data staggers back post-shutdown 鈥�     Why I moved my research to China from Germany: a biologist鈥檚 experience 鈥�   Issue No. 2824
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, and Rin Swann. Write us: dkerecm1@jhu.edu, like us on and follow us on Instagram and X .

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51吃瓜网 researchers at the Douglas Research Centre have found evidence that heavy cannabis use during pregnancy can cause delays in brain development in the fetus that persist into adulthood.

Using advanced MRI techniques, the team tracked the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure in mice across key developmental stages.

51吃瓜网 researchers at the Douglas Research Centre have found evidence that heavy cannabis use during pregnancy can cause delays in brain development in the fetus that persist into adulthood.

Using advanced MRI techniques, the team tracked the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure in mice across key developmental stages.

51吃瓜网 researchers at the Douglas Research Centre have found evidence that heavy cannabis use during pregnancy can cause delays in brain development in the fetus that persist into adulthood.

Using advanced MRI techniques, the team tracked the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure in mice across key developmental stages.

96 Global Health NOW: A New Climate-Health Blueprint; and Lithuania Lowers Its Suicide Rate November 17, 2025 TOP STORIES

Ethiopia confirmed three deaths from the Marburg outbreak today, ; the Africa CDC reported earlier that at least nine cases have been detected so far and that the virus strain is the same one reported in outbreaks in East Africa.

Washington state has confirmed the U.S.鈥檚 first human case of bird flu in at least eight months; the type, H5N5, has previously not been reported in humans, but officials say the risk to the public remains low.  

Mosquito-borne illnesses in Cuba are having an 鈥渁cute鈥� impact nationwide, with diseases like dengue and chikungunya affecting nearly one-third of the country鈥檚 population.

The first known death from alpha-gal syndrome鈥攁 red meat allergy caused by tick bites鈥攈as been , after researchers linked the sudden death of a 47-year-old New Jersey man to the allergy.  

IN FOCUS The flooded entrance of the Mae de Deus Hospital after heavy rains battered Brazilian State of Rio Grande Do Sul. May 6, 2024, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Max Peixoto/Getty A New Climate-Health Blueprint 
As climate change takes an increasing toll on human health and health systems worldwide, dozens of , a voluntary framework outlining a series of actions for stronger disease surveillance, climate-resilient health facilities, and protections for vulnerable communities, .    Health systems under strain: Extreme heat, floods, and droughts are already driving disease outbreaks and food insecurity, and overwhelming health services.  

• 鈥淭he time of warnings has finished. Now we are living in a time of consequences,鈥� said Brazil鈥檚 health minister Alexandre Padilha.  

Plan particulars: The plan emphasizes early-warning systems and cleaner and more reliable energy for clinics, . 

• Yet the plan 鈥渙nly gestures at water, sanitation, and hygiene and fails to provide concrete strategies for improving access to clean water,鈥� .

Big ambition, minimal funding: Despite broad endorsements, no new government financing accompanied the launch. 

• A one-time $300 million philanthropic pledge falls far short of the tens of billions in annual funding experts say LMICs need for basic adaptation. 

Related: Small Island Nations Remain Sidelined at Climate Conferences 鈥�   DATA POINT

1 million+
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Lives in lower-income countries saved by cervical cancer vaccines after a three-year effort鈥撯�揳 milestone announced on the first World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day today. 鈥�
  MENTAL HEALTH Lithuania Lowers Its Suicide Rate    In the 20 years since Lithuania joined the EU, the country has more than halved its suicide rate, from ~44 deaths per 100,000 people in 2004 to 19.5.     This turnaround follows years of national initiatives, community-based services, and a cultural shift away from the stigma surrounding mental health. 
  Key interventions:  

• A network of 10,000 鈥済atekeepers鈥� trained to recognize and support at-risk people. 

• Free municipal psychological well-being centers. 

• A national suicide-prevention algorithm to flag suicide risk. 

• A helpline for seniors, who are especially at risk. 

• Stricter alcohol control laws. 

Remaining gaps:  

• Older adults are vulnerable as services move online. 

• Many of Lithuania鈥檚 ~42,000 Ukrainian refugees need mental health support.  

  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES QUICK HITS Hey Parliament, our kids are getting addicted to vapes. Let鈥檚 put an end to it 鈥�      Iran's Water Crisis Nears Point Of No Return 鈥�     A stock of U.S.-bought birth control, meant for sub-Saharan Africa, goes bad in Belgium 鈥�     UK warned that 15% cut to health fund will force 鈥榠mpossible choices鈥� on Africa 鈥�     National Institutes of Health staffer put on nondisciplinary leave after criticizing NIH politicization 鈥�     Finnish-Style Baby Boxes Get a New York Twist 鈥�   Issue No. 2823
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, 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 2025 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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Diabetes is one of the world鈥檚 fastest-growing health challenges 鈥� and its impact stretches across every life stage, from childhood to older age.