黑料网爆吃瓜

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96 黑料网爆吃瓜 Perspectives on Global Health: February 2026 Issue February 2026  
NEWSLETTER

This February, 

We are highlighting some recently published articles on the blog:

馃敼 Loss of Measles Elimination Status in Canada
馃敼 Still Here: How Colonialism Keeps TB Around 
馃敼 Malignancy in Academia: An Editorial on the Academic Hidden Curriculum of Dysfunction
馃敼 Sex Ed in the U.S. is Under Assault - Our Health, Rights and Relationships Are at Stake
馃敼&苍产蝉辫;The Indigenous Health Centre of Tiohti脿:ke: A Necessity, not a Luxury
馃敼 In Conversation with La Maison Bleue

Not to mention...
馃敼&苍产蝉辫;Spotlight Awards are Open! Winter 2025 Call for Health Experiences IS OPEN! Apply today!

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

-->  Selected Articles for this Month  Loss of Measles Elimination Status in Canada 鈥淪till, the anxiety around this outbreak is not mere frustration at a disease we thought we buried. It is a troubling hint of the vaccine-resistant future that may be waiting ahead." - Author: Becca Winkelaar --> Still Here: How Colonialism Keeps TB Around "The historical trajectory of TB in Canada, particularly its disproportionate impact on Indigenous populations, serves as a poignant illustration of [...] social determinants at play."
- Author: Hillary Wright --> Malignancy in Academia: An Editorial on the Academic Hidden Curriculum of Dysfunction 鈥淎cademia is often idealized as a space of growth, curiosity, and knowledge creation. But glossy mission statements and institutional pride often mask a more uncomfortable reality: a silent curriculum of power, inequity, and waste (). From medical school in Egypt, graduate training in Canada, and through the professional experiences, I have witnessed systems that differ in form but share common dysfunction. I have made mistakes. I remained silent, learned, and watched many others quietly endure the same.鈥�
 - Author: Moustafa Laymouna --> Sex Ed in the U.S. is Under Assault - Our Health, Rights, and Relationships Are at Stake 鈥淪ex education in America has long shifted with each administration, its content dictated by politics rather than public health. Federal funding priorities and Department of Education guidelines now serve as partisan tools in a culture war over our bodies and identities. But political ideology should not determine our right to accurate, life-saving information."
 - Authors: Maya Ueoku, Lila Aspin, Aleeyaa Alam --> The Indigenous Health Centre of Tiohti脿:ke: A Necessity, not a Luxury "In spotlight is the Indigenous Health Centre of Tiohti脿:ke (IHCT), a community health centre that provides necessary care to First Nations, Inuit, and M茅tis in the Montr茅al area and to those visiting the area. Approaching its 10th anniversary, the clinic is a celebration of hard work, determination, and compassion 鈥� removing barriers, delivering culturally sensitive care, and doing so with no charge to its clientele."
 - Author: Hillary Wright --> In Conversation with La Maison Bleue "Last semester, I had the privilege of volunteering at La Maison Bleue (LMB), a social perinatal organization with five branches across Montreal. LMB works with at-risk pregnant women and families, with a mission to reduce social inequalities and promote optimal child development. During my time there, I saw this mission come to life: children meeting with psychoeducators to assess their learning development, mothers attending workshops on Canada鈥檚 immigration process, and families bonding in the waiting room. The organization does more than just provide healthcare and social services; it fosters a community, oftentimes for people who might otherwise lack one." 
- Author: Bridget Li -->  In the Spotlight
  This month, we wanted to highlight a recently published piece by Juwel Rana, former Editor-in-Chief of the 黑料网爆吃瓜 Global Health Journal In a nationally representative 2022 study of Bangladeshi adults, higher long-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with increased diabetes risk, with cleaner air targets potentially reducing national diabetes prevalence by up to 7.5%.    Click on the link to read more! -->  Share your Perspective on Global Health
  We are excited to announce our Winter 2026 Call for Papers in the following area:

• Health Experiences

The Health Experiences theme includes and is not limited to personal experiences with healthcare, illness, or an impactful clinical rotation you completed during your studies.

We encourage writers to explore creative aspects of this theme. 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 黑料网爆吃瓜 Global Health Programs, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
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96 Global Health NOW: Somalia鈥檚 Severe Food Insecurity; How Dentists are Driving Antibiotic Overuse Plus: Let鈥檚 Talk Turkey 鈥� Attacks February 26, 2026 TOP STORIES ~$900 million in U.S. funds designated for two public health emergency preparedness programs lack coordinated oversight, , with the two HHS programs鈥攖he Public Health Emergency Preparedness program and the Hospital Preparedness Program鈥攂oth failing to adequately track state and local emergency readiness.     Assisted dying legislation has passed in Jersey, making it the second British Isles region to pass such a statute following the Isle of Man; however, advocates warn that the law鈥檚 enactment could be slowed due to delays in the final approval process known as royal assent.      A 鈥渃ocktail鈥� of plastic particles and chemicals has been identified in microwavable meals,  by Greenpeace International that analyzed 24 recent scientific studies on such products.    Hundreds of international scientists could face increasing restrictions from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, with 3-year work limits, reduced access to labs, and some scientists from certain countries potentially losing all access as a part of proposed new rules.   IN FOCUS A man and children eat together at a camp as people receive food aid packages in Mogadishu, Somalia, February 25. Halil Ibrahim Sincar/Anadolu via Getty Images Somalia鈥檚 Severe Food Insecurity
The number of Somalis facing acute food insecurity has nearly doubled since last year, impacting a 鈥渟taggering鈥� 6.5 million people, as deepening drought, ongoing conflict, exorbitant food prices, and reduced aid all lead to deteriorating conditions, . 

• And drought conditions are expected to remain 鈥渄ire鈥� through the spring, triggering further hunger across southern, central, and parts of northern Somalia鈥攖aking a particular toll on farming families, pastoralists, and people who are displaced, . 

Children at extreme risk: 1.8+ million children under five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition this year, including ~483,000 experiencing severe wasting鈥攖he deadliest form of malnutrition.     Flagging aid: The crisis has been further compounded by a drop in humanitarian assistance, with food aid reaching only 17% of the 4.8 million people in need in January 2026, . 

• Since aid cuts last year, there has been a 鈥渟ignificant reduction in the availability of nutrition treatment services,鈥� including preventive treatment, supplemental feeding and therapeutic clinics, and early detection and referral services for children.  

Call for intervention: The IPC is calling for an urgent influx of food aid and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) assistance to high-risk 鈥渉otspot鈥� areas. GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES INFECTIOUS DISEASES How Dentists are Driving Antibiotic Overuse  
U.S. dentists are prescribing antibiotics at increasing rates, contributing to rising antimicrobial resistance, while failing to install systems to prevent overuse,      By the numbers: Dentists issued 27 million+ antibiotic prescriptions in 2025鈥攁 6% increase since 2020.  

• 80% of antibiotic prescriptions in dentistry are unnecessary, .  

Climbing clindamycin usage: The increase includes 2.3 million prescriptions for clindamycin, a high-risk drug with a link to deadly C. difficile infections, .  

• Clindamycin ranks as the second-most prescribed dental antibiotic despite experts鈥� calls to minimize it. 

Siloed stewardship: While hospitals and health systems have adopted mandatory antibiotic stewardship programs, private dental offices lack similar oversight, shared patient records, or incentives to curb misuse.    Related:
  Curbing overuse of dental antibiotics proves daunting 鈥�     How to avoid inappropriate dental antibiotics 鈥�  OPPORTUNITY Nominations Open for Fries Awards for Health
Do you know someone who has achieved a major accomplishment in health? Nominate them for the CDC Foundation鈥檚 Fries Awards for Health.

• The Fries Prize for Improving Health, a $100,000 prize, is awarded to an individual who has made major accomplishments in health improvement, with emphasis on recent contributions to health, and with the general criteria of the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

• The Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award, a $50,000 prize, recognizes a practitioner or scholar who has made a substantial contribution to advancing the field of health education or health promotion through research, program development, or program delivery.   

Nominations are open until April 4, 2026! 

•   

•  

ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Let鈥檚 Talk Turkey 鈥� Attacks 
When Ottowa lab tech Michael Bourgon encountered two brazen birds on his walk home from work last week, he tried to be cordial.  

鈥淗ey, what鈥檚 up turkeys?鈥� he greeted. 

But they had come for blood, aggressively following Bourgon and giving him 鈥渢he business,鈥� . As they pecked around his ankles, he quickly realized: 鈥淲hatever this is, I don鈥檛 want it.鈥�  

His next thought: 鈥淧lease don鈥檛 let me be the guy who goes viral for kicking a turkey in the face.鈥� Instead, he gently kicked snow around the birds, which only provoked them further.  

Then, a stunning rescue.  

鈥淗ey, hop in!鈥� a perfect stranger called from a white SUV, despite Bourgon looking鈥攕elf-described鈥斺�渓ike the Unabomber.鈥� 

We know all this thanks to another hero: Quick-thinking passerby Jody Paul knew 鈥渁 naturally funny situation鈥� when he saw one, and captured the   

But it didn鈥檛 stop there. Bourgon still had to face work鈥攁nd the turkeys鈥攖he next day, and the next.  

鈥淏y round three, I was ready鈥濃�攚ith some turkey face-off strategies for us all: Stand your ground, and don鈥檛 be 鈥渃haseable.鈥�  

鈥淒oormats get walked on,鈥� he advised. 鈥淒on鈥檛 put up with the turkey nonsense.鈥� 

QUICK HITS Group unveils 10-year blueprint to reduce blindness 鈥�     Newly released 2025 scorecard unveils progress and setbacks on health and gender equality across Southern Africa 鈥�     More pregnant Americans are skipping prenatal care, CDC finds 鈥�      Scientists discover a key to staying mentally sharp in old age 鈥�      When the next global health crisis strikes, will we be ready in 100 days? 鈥�  Issue No. 2871
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 2026 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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Spending time in nature, even briefly, triggers changes in the brain that calm stress, restore attention and quiet mental clutter, a new study has found.

Researchers at 黑料网爆吃瓜 and colleagues at Adolfo Ib谩帽ez University in Chile have examined more than 100 brain-imaging studies from various disciplines. The result is one of the most comprehensive reviews to date of how the brain responds to nature.

96 Global Health NOW: Scrutiny of Shifting U.S. Aid Strategy; and Antiquated, Isolated TB Care February 25, 2026 TOP STORIES Guinea-Bissau has terminated a controversial U.S.-funded hepatitis B vaccine trial that was suspended earlier over ethics concerns, as it would deny half of all enrolled babies a birth-dose inoculation in the country, which carries one of the world鈥檚 heaviest burdens of hepatitis B infections.      15 U.S. states are suing to reverse changes to federal recommendations that reduced from 17 to 11 the number of diseases children are routinely vaccinated against, contending that the changes were not based on scientific evidence; HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., CDC acting director Jay Bhattacharya, and their respective agencies are named as defendants.     Cervical cancer rates in young U.S. women vary 鈥渟ubstantially鈥� by state, based on HPV vaccine uptake, as states with low vaccination rates see minimal progress, ; overall, rates have dropped 27% among U.S. women ages 20鈥�31 since the introduction of the vaccine.     ~6 in 10 U.S. women will have some type of cardiovascular disease in the next 25 years, , which also forecasts 鈥渟urges鈥� in health factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.   IN FOCUS Health workers assist a patient inside a tent at Kuwadzana polyclinic. Harare, Zimbabwe, November 18, 2023. Shaun Jusa/Xinhua via Getty Scrutiny of Shifting U.S. Aid Strategy    As the new 鈥淎merica First鈥� health aid strategy moves toward more transactional agreements, Zimbabwe has rejected a proposed $367 million health package from the U.S.鈥攃iting a 鈥渓opsided鈥� deal that 鈥渦ndermines the sovereignty and independence of Zimbabwe as a country鈥� and that compromises established global health frameworks, .     Objections: Zimbabwe鈥檚 leaders halted the talks over U.S. requirements for Zimbabwe to share sensitive biological and population data without guaranteed access to resulting medical innovations, . Zimbabwe leadership was also concerned about efforts to fold in mineral deals.  

• In response, the U.S. embassy in Harare said health assistance for HIV/AIDS, malaria, and maternal and child health would be wound down. 

Bigger picture: Zimbabwe鈥檚 withdrawal comes as a growing number of African nations sign onto such bilateral agreements鈥攚hich global health experts say resemble China鈥檚 former government-to-government aid model,   

• Now, China is moving away from such bilateral deals, investing instead in self-described 鈥渟mall and beautiful鈥� health projects while strengthening WHO ties and global health partnerships. 

Meanwhile: The U.S. State Department is seeking to overhaul its international disaster response system, proposing a new Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response that will separate international relief from migration policy, .     Related:     What $50 Billion for U.S. Foreign Affairs Changes for Global Health 鈥�   
  How debt relief for developing countries could help reverse the devastating consequences of UK aid cuts 鈥�   
  Little Clarity on Legality of Trump鈥檚 Foreign Aid Shutdown One Year After 鈥�     GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES TUBERCULOSIS Antiquated, Isolated Care
   In northern Cameroon, patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis are often confined in hospital wards for months, unable to see their families or interact with their community until they test negative.    鈥淲e鈥檙e just here,鈥� said TB patient Asta Djouma, who has been in isolation since October.     Outdated model: This sanitarium model was abandoned in many countries decades ago. The WHO has recommended home-based care for most TB patients for the last 15 years, citing research that shows people on home treatment do better mentally and medically.  

• But policy change in Cameroon and other low-income countries has lagged as health systems lack funds to monitor at-home care. 

Ongoing battle: ~40,000 people developed TB in Cameroon in 2024.              Related:  
  Rapid sequencing approach could transform tuberculosis surveillance and care 鈥�
  Tuberculosis funding cuts could cost households up to $80 billion 鈥�    OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Trump cites health care issues in Greenland saying he鈥檚 sending a hospital ship. His claims are off 鈥�

As measles cases climb, these 9 diseases threaten comebacks 鈥�

Hundreds of American nurses choose Canada over the U.S. under Trump 鈥�

Bhattacharya鈥檚 growing power in Trump's HHS worries health experts 鈥�

There鈥檚 a Measles Alert in My Area. Now What? 鈥�

Major Chinese funder to stop paying fees for 30 pricey open-access journals 鈥�

New Type Of Vaccine Could One Day Give Universal Protection Against Colds, Flu, COVID 鈥� Issue No. 2870
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 2026 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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96 Global Health NOW: The Power of Polio Influencers in Malawi; and Fiji鈥檚 鈥楾sunami鈥� of HIV Infections February 24, 2026 TOP STORIES Renewed fighting in South Sudan has displaced nearly 280,000, damaged health facilities and hindered humanitarian aid operations, and fueled the spread of cholera; UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher warns it amounts to a 鈥減erfect storm鈥� of conflict, climate shocks, and deprivation.  
The U.S. FDA will drop the two-study requirement for new drug approvals鈥攅liminating the longtime standard of requiring two rigorous studies鈥攊n an attempt to speed up the availability of certain medical products.  
Hepatitis B vax rates in the U.S. have slipped in the last couple of years to 73.2% in August 2025, researchers from Harvard and the UC San Diego School of Medicine found鈥攔eversing an era of growth with a high of 83.5% in 2023.
  Cannabis use among adolescents increases the risks of being diagnosed with bipolar and psychotic disorders, as well as anxiety and depression, years later, that analyzed data on 460,000 teenagers in Northern California for a 25鈥搚ear period.   IN FOCUS Health worker Mable Njunga marks a door in Lilongwe, Malawi, indicating the home's children under 5 have had the polio vaccine. March 20, 2022. Amos Gumulira / AFP via Getty The Power of Polio Influencers in Malawi    The detection of poliovirus in sewage treatment plants in Blantyre, Malawi, triggered a massive vaccination drive in the past week. But health authorities are fighting more than the virus. 

• 1.3 million children have been vaccinated against the disease in four days with supplies airlifted by the WHO, .  

Successful but: The rapid response has also run into indifference, misinformation, and reluctant parents. 

• At a Blantyre school, one in 10 students remained at their desks during a vaccination drive because their parents didn鈥檛 give consent.  

• One parent told The Guardian: 鈥淚 feel my child has had enough vaccines in her life.鈥� 

Creative persuasion: Logic and evidence often fail in communities already persuaded by misinformation on social media, said a Unicef polio manager sitting with a group of mothers. So she said health workers turn to influencers: 

• 鈥淵ou can give [a mother] any argument. It doesn鈥檛 matter. And then you have a local influencer walk in, and he says 鈥榲accinate鈥�, and she just hands you the child.鈥� 

Meanwhile in the U.S.: Polio survivors are incensed by a federal vaccine committee chair鈥檚  that polio vaccination should be optional,  One survivor warns that many polio experts have retired and are taking their expertise with them.  GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HIV/AIDS Fiji鈥檚 鈥楾sunami of Infections鈥�    Over the course of just five years, Fiji has become home to the world鈥檚 fastest-growing HIV outbreak, with cases surging from 147 in 2020 to 1,226 in the first half of 2025 alone. 

• And without intervention, Fiji health officials warn that number could swell to ~25,000 cases by 2029.   

Driving the epidemic: A boom in methamphetamine use has led to a rise in needle- and paraphernalia-sharing and other high-risk trends increasing transmission.   

• But at-risk populations are expanding beyond people who use drugs: 33 babies were born with HIV in early 2025. 

Lagging health response: While Fijian officials are budgeting for a more robust response, the country currently has limited testing and harm reduction infrastructure, and minimal stocks of antiretrovirals or PrEP.        Related:  
Drugs, denial and stigma: the babies and children swept up in Fiji's HIV nightmare 鈥�  
Zimbabwe rolls out long-acting HIV drug, among first countries to do so 鈥�   DATA POINT

2881
鈥斺赌斺赌�
The number of attacks on health care in Ukraine鈥攊ncluding health workers, facilities, and ambulances鈥攄ocumented by the WHO since the full-scale war began on February 24, 2022. 鈥� CORRECTION In a Top Story last week that , we said 鈥淔ive years into Ukraine鈥檚 war鈥� 鈥� but we should have said, 鈥淎s the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year.鈥� Thanks for flagging that error, Angeline Sawaya! SPONSORED Cells to Society: The Building Blocks of a Public Health Career
   Considering a career in public health? The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is now offering online, noncredit courses for adult learners who are thinking about a career change, are seeking ways to be more helpful in their local communities, or are simply curious about how public health works. Explore available courses and register today to get a preview into a formal public health education.         QUICK HITS Destitute survivors of south-east Asia鈥檚 cyberscam farms an 鈥榠nternational crisis鈥� 鈥�     South Africa regulator backed by the food industry blocks ad on sugar鈥檚 health risks 鈥�     NIH research grant funding rates plummeted in 2025 鈥�     Study: Antibiotic resistance threatens 30-year decline in deaths from lower respiratory infections 鈥�      Vaccine skeptic stepping down from No. 2 post at CDC 鈥�     Biohackers and wellness influencers are pushing nicotine as part of their 鈥榮tacks鈥� 鈥�  Thanks for the tip, Cecilia Meisner! 
How a Syrian refugee built a global mental health lifeline for displaced communities 鈥�   Issue No. 2869
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 2026 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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96 Global Health NOW: Global Health sNOW Day February 23, 2026 iStock/Getty Global Health SNOW Day
GHN is off today due to inclement weather and reduced operations at Johns Hopkins University. We plan to be back tomorrow with all the latest global health news! 鈥�Dayna Issue No. 2868
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 2026 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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96 Global Health NOW: Afghanistan鈥檚 鈥楥atastrophic鈥� Hunger Plus: Birth Certificates for Bangladesh鈥檚 鈥業nvisible鈥� Children February 19, 2026 TOP STORIES Libya has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, the WHO has validated鈥攖he result of a decades-long effort that involved improved surveillance, expanded surgical care, and training and support for eye health workers that was 鈥減articularly notable given years of political instability and humanitarian challenges鈥� that strained health services.   
 
New FDA guidance for antibiotic use in food-producing animals seeks to add duration limits to medically important antibiotics; but critics say  fails to adequately address the rise and spread of antibiotic resistance and the potential impacts on human health.  
 
Early prenatal care has declined in the U.S., with the share of births to women who had prenatal care in the first trimester dropping from 78.3% in 2021 to 75.5% in 2024, ; while reasons for the decline were not cited, the decrease was higher for mothers in minority groups, and specialists pointed to the rise in maternity deserts as a likely factor.   
 
Greater air pollution exposure has been linked to heightened Alzheimer鈥檚 risk, , which found that air pollution affected the brain through direct effects rather than through other chronic conditions.  IN FOCUS A malnourished child holding his mother鈥檚 hand inside the M茅decins Sans Fronti猫res therapeutic nutrition center at a hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, on January 8. Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Afghanistan鈥檚 鈥楥atastrophic鈥� Hunger
Afghanistan faces a historic surge in malnutrition, as aid cuts, displacement, and drought leave two-thirds of the country鈥檚 population facing serious or crisis levels for acute malnutrition, . 

• 鈥淲e have a catastrophic nutritional crisis on our hands,鈥� said John Aylieff, Afghanistan Country Director for the UN's World Food Program, noting that levels of malnutrition are the highest ever recorded in the country at 17.4 million people.  

Driving hunger: After the 2021 Taliban takeover, foreign aid plummeted and economic collapse left many without a lifeline for nutritional assistance. Since then, conditions have only worsened because of drought, earthquakes, and the return of 5.3 million Afghans expelled from Pakistan and Iran.    U.S. aid cuts last year delivered a devastating blow, and donors have since struggled to keep pace with the needs.    Most at risk:  

• Children: ~4 million children are acutely malnourished, and 500+ child deaths have been logged in recent months鈥攍ikely an undercount.  

• Women: Prohibited from work, women are especially vulnerable. WFP has recorded a 30% rise in malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women, and is seeing an uptick in suicidal calls from women with nowhere to turn.  

Fragility as Ramadan begins: 鈥淢any are beginning the fasting period without reliable incomes,鈥� . GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HUMAN RIGHTS Birth Certificates for Bangladesh鈥檚 鈥業nvisible鈥� Children
Hundreds of undocumented, 鈥渋nvisible鈥� children born in brothels in Bangladesh now have birth certificates, opening the door to education and protections they previously could not access.     700+ children are newly documented after years of campaigning by activists with the Freedom Fund, who advocated for better documentation by pointing to a 2018 law that allows registration without a father鈥檚 details, and who worked to identify the children and collect their information.     Unlocking basic rights: The certificates will allow the children to enroll in school, acquire passports, and vote.  

• Documentation can also help protect children from trafficking.  

The quote: 鈥淭hese documents are not just a tool, it鈥檚 about survival,鈥� said Khaleda Akhter, Bangladesh program manager for the Freedom Fund.     ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION A Dog Has His Day
It鈥檚 safe to say that us non-athletes don鈥檛 spend most of our lives thinking about triple axels, frantically sweeping near a kettle-type-thing, or cross-country-skiing-really-far-then-shooting-something.  

But then for a few weeks every four years, we sink into our sofas and become winter sports dilettantes. We cry tears of joy and disappointment, lament scoring injustices, marvel at back stories鈥攁nd wonder, popcorn in hand, if we might have stood a chance at Olympic greatness. 

• What we never considered: What if we just 鈥� joined in?  

Nazgul, a local Czechoslovakian wolfdog, did just that,  of the women鈥檚 cross-country skiing qualifying race at Milano-Cortina. Immediately disqualified on grounds of being male, a dog, and not even on skis, Nazgul was nevertheless the star of the event, . 

A true sportsman, Nazgul congratulated fellow athletes with bum-sniffs at the finish line. Greek skier Konstantina Charalampidou welcomed the competition. 

鈥淚 wanted to pet him, but I didn鈥檛 have the time.鈥�
 
 The sacrifices of an Olympian. QUICK HITS Measles cases in South Carolina rise by 12 to 962, state health department says 鈥�      NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya will take over leadership of CDC temporarily 鈥�      Why is the US targeting Cuba鈥檚 global medical missions? 鈥�      FDA will drop two-study requirement for new drug approvals, aiming to speed access 鈥�      New Inhalable Tuberculosis Treatment Could Replace Months of Daily Pills 鈥�     The most dangerous sport at the Winter Olympics? It鈥檚 not luge or ice skating 鈥�  Issue No. 2867
Global Health NOW is an initiative of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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Scientists at 黑料网爆吃瓜 and the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute have developed a new way to deliver cancer immunotherapy that caused fewer side effects compared to standard treatment in

96 Global Health NOW: Forced Begging in Ethiopia; and Botswana鈥檚 Health Care Breakdown February 18, 2026 TOP STORIES Five years into Ukraine鈥檚 war, more than a third of the country鈥檚 children鈥�2,589,900鈥攔emain displaced, including 791,000+ children inside Ukraine and nearly 1.8 million children who are now refugees outside the country.  
The UK government launched a vaccination campaign in response to a measles outbreak in North London; vaccine coverage with both doses of the MMR vaccine have now dropped to 89% across England, and below 65% for some areas.     Moderna鈥檚 flu vaccine will now be reviewed by the U.S. FDA after the agency reversed its decision last week to reject the application for the vaccine, which is made with mRNA technology.     The maker of Roundup, the weedkiller, has announced a proposed $7.25 billion settlement to resolve thousands of U.S. lawsuits which allege the chemical company, Bayer, failed to warn people that Roundup could cause cancer.   IN FOCUS People beg in the streets in central Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. November 16, 2010. Per-Anders Pettersson Forced Begging in Ethiopia     People with disabilities are frequently trafficked and forced to beg in Ethiopia鈥檚 major cities in an often overlooked form of human trafficking that researchers describe as a 鈥渃rime hiding in plain sight,鈥�  that is among the first to focus on the specific form of trafficking.     Exploiting vulnerability: Children with disabilities from poor rural families are especially at risk, facing stigma, exclusion, and almost no access to school or social support. 

• Traffickers often convince parents to allow them to take their children to urban areas like Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, and Mekelle鈥攑romising education or medical care. 

Extreme abuse: Once trafficked, the children are often forced to beg for long hours, often under 鈥渃ruel and inhumane鈥� conditions including near-starvation, minimal sleep, and constant threats of physical violence and abandonment.  

• 鈥淚 would go out crawling on my hands since I didn鈥檛 have a wheelchair,鈥� reported one female survivor with a physical disability, adding that if she returned with too few earnings her trafficker 鈥渋nsults me and hits me.鈥� 

• Most were too afraid or dependent upon traffickers to seek help, and the police rarely provided a pathway out. 

Calls for intervention: Researchers say trafficking can be prevented and reduced through: 

• Stigma reduction, including inclusive education and jobs for those with disabilities. 

• Safer reporting mechanisms and tailored law enforcement response.  

• Support systems after rescue, informed by survivor experience. 

   GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES HEALTH SYSTEMS Botswana鈥檚 Health Care Breakdown    Botswana's once-model health system is swiftly deteriorating amid a diamond trade slump that has drained national finances and exposed weaknesses in the country鈥檚 health funding structure.     Severe shortages: Medicine and supply stocks at hospitals have run out, forcing staff to buy supplies out-of-pocket, and leading to extensive wait times.  

• A public health emergency was declared six months ago, but an ombudsman鈥檚 new investigation reveals continued struggles, including the country鈥檚 largest hospital being reduced to an 鈥渙ld, heavily worn vehicle, overloaded with passengers.鈥�  

Need for reform: While emergency measures are being implemented, including a $43 million infusion from The World Bank, officials are calling for deep systemic reform鈥攍ike changes to drug procurement and health insurance.       OPPORTUNITY Watch the Series, Host a Screening
in the Escape the Neglect: Stories from the Front Lines docuseries, following the innovation arc in the treatment of sleeping sickness in the DRC, is now live. 

•  produced by Devex in partnership with the Gates Foundation, spotlights the human stories from the global effort to end neglected tropical diseases in Nigeria, India, and the DRC. 

Host a screening: These short films (5鈥�10 minutes each) offer a simple, meaningful way to spark conversation. To make hosting easy, the creators of the series developed  a flexible toolkit that provides everything you need to facilitate an in-person or hybrid event, including:  

• A facilitation guide with inclusive, action鈥憃riented discussion prompts. 

• An NTD factsheet with episode鈥憇pecific context. 

• 搁别补诲测鈥憈辞鈥憉蝉别&苍产蝉辫;颈苍惫颈迟补迟颈辞苍 and promotional language. 

QUICK HITS UK cuts aid further than any G7 country, including the US 鈥�     Vaccine Makers Curtail Research and Cut Jobs 鈥�      Chlorine Dioxide, Raw Camel Milk: The FDA No Longer Warns Against These and Other Ineffective Autism Treatments 鈥�     Progress on family planning in Afghanistan is still possible 鈥�      The science influencers going viral on TikTok to fight misinformation 鈥�     This form of mental exercise may cut dementia risk for decades 鈥�  Issue No. 2866
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La r茅sistance anti-ICE au Minnesota et le devoir de m茅moire de nos lign茅es solidaires.

96 Global Health NOW: Booming 鈥楤ootleg Cigarettes鈥� Down Under; and the Race for WHO Leadership Ramps Up February 17, 2026 TOP STORIES Mortality among people who inject drugs and participated in a Stockholm, Sweden, needle and syringe program declined over a decade of harm reduction intervention expansion, including a take-home naloxone effort;  observed a marked reduction in opioid overdose deaths.      Plastic water bottles contained more chemicals than glass:  tested 37 Belgian brands and found 17 endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including bisphenol B and acetaminophen鈥攁nd observed that higher price correlated with increased phthalate levels.     The benefits of intermittent fasting 鈥渇ail to match the hype,鈥�  of 22 studies that found little to no weight loss improvement compared to regular dietary advice or doing nothing at all for people who were overweight or obese.  
Ultra-processed food companies hijacked the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) 鈥渓oophole鈥� to let questionable ingredients slip into American food products, says U.S. health secretary RFK Jr., who pledged to act on a petition from former FDA chief David Kesler to address the issue.  IN FOCUS Pedestrians walk past signs outside a tobacconist and convenience store in central Sydney, Australia. March 27, 2025. David Gray/AFP via Getty Booming 鈥楤ootleg Cigarettes鈥� Down Under 
Australia鈥檚 aggressive taxes on cigarettes have driven down smoking rates and raised an average pack鈥檚 cost to US$40. But they鈥檝e also unleashed a nationwide black market, . 

• The tax on a single cigarette has tripled in a decade to about US$1.06.  

Unintended consequences: 

• The price spike has launched a huge demand for illegal cigarettes. A pack of under-the-counter cigarettes costs as little as US$7. 

• Illegal cigs are commonly sold at shops and via private sales, accounting for perhaps half of all tobacco sales.  

• Criminal gangs are smuggling in cigarettes from the Middle East or China.  

• 鈥� 鈥� have spawned 100+ firebombings and hundreds of attacks on shopkeepers and others, as turf battles have erupted among gangs.  

Next steps: Government officials have previously rebuffed any discussion of reducing the excise tax to stem the illegal trade, but last week finance minister Katy Gallagher acknowledged that all options are on the table, . 
Public health perspective: The illegal market has made prices so cheap that further tax increases wouldn鈥檛 do much good, said Becky Freeman, a University of Sydney tobacco expert.  

• 鈥淚 only support tax increases if they are effective at reducing smoking,鈥� Freeman said.  

Related:  
Smoking And Quitting Behaviors Vary by Socioeconomic Position 鈥�        Exclusive: India sticks to e-cigarette ban in snub for Philip Morris 鈥�   DATA POINT

123 million
鈥斺赌斺赌斺�斺赌斺赌�
Additional malaria cases in Africa by 2050 that could be triggered by climate change, driven mostly by extreme weather events, led by researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia and Curtin University. 鈥�
  WHO Race for WHO Leadership Ramps Up    Diplomatic maneuvering has begun for the WHO's next director-general, as the nomination process opens in April for next year鈥檚 vote.     And while a list of rumored candidates is growing, the successor to current chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus faces an 鈥渆xistential convergence of crises鈥� amid geopolitical rifts and major funding challenges.     An agency at a crossroads: The WHO鈥檚 next leader will have to steer the agency at a critical juncture that includes a $1鈥痓illion funding gap after the U.S. withdrawal, a 25% staff cut, and low morale.     Seeking a 鈥渦nicorn鈥�: The incoming chief will also need to balance demands for global equity with fiscal reform鈥攁ll while trying to meet 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and prepare for potential pandemics in a post-COVID landscape.      SPONSORED Cells to Society: The Building Blocks of a Public Health Career     Considering a career in public health? The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is now offering online, noncredit courses for adult learners who are thinking about a career change, are seeking ways to be more helpful in their local communities, or are simply curious about how public health works. Explore available courses and register today to get a preview into a formal public health education.         QUICK HITS Mexico Risks Losing Its Measles-Free Status, Months Before Millions Arrive for World Cup 鈥�     Doctors bear the burden as 鈥榤edical freedom鈥� fuels worst US measles outbreak in 30 years 鈥�      Investment in Malaria Venture Yields 13x Health Benefits 鈥�      Indian Health Service to phase out use of dental fillings containing mercury by 2027 鈥�     As More Schools Turn to AI Weapons Detection, Questions Persist 鈥�  
As US presence wanes, China works to increase its influence through foreign aid 鈥�  
The Karate Class Where Kenya鈥檚 Grandmothers Learn to Fight Back 鈥�   Issue No. 2865
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Nearly two thirds of all maternal deaths worldwide occur in countries marked by conflict or fragility, according to a report released on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners.

96 Global Health NOW: Progress and Pushback on Polio Vaccination; and Peru鈥檚 Defective Cancer Drugs February 16, 2026 TOP STORIES A measles outbreak in London is spreading rapidly among children under age 10, per the U.K. Health Security Agency, which has reported 34 laboratory-confirmed cases over the last month linked to schools and nurseries in Enfield.  
  A new recombinant mpox strain combining genomic elements of clades Ib and IIb of the virus has been identified in two cases鈥攐ne in the U.K. and the other in India鈥�, which has urged continued genomic surveillance.   
  Whooping cough cases in Australia have hit their highest level recorded in 35 years following a 鈥減otentially catastrophic鈥� drop in vaccinations; 57,000+ cases were reported in 2024鈥攎ostly among children.  
  France will slash its funding for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by 58%+ for the next two-year cycle, from 鈧�1.6 billion to 鈧�660 million; French NGOs warned that the cuts鈥攚hich could impact antiretroviral HIV treatments, malaria prevention, condom availability, and testing services鈥攚ill cost lives.  IN FOCUS Progress and Pushback on Polio Vaccination     The WHO is expanding the global arsenal for polio outbreak response by  aimed at curbing vaccine-derived outbreaks 鈥渕ore sustainably鈥� in the ongoing quest to eradicate the virus.     But the progress comes as vaccination strategy is under threat in a new era of politicization鈥攑otentially endangering decades of gains.     The new nOPV2 vaccine is designed to be more genetically stable than older vaccines, reducing risk of vaccine-derived outbreaks while effectively curbing virus transmission, .      Meanwhile in Malawi, health officials have launched a new oral polio vaccination campaign in schools and door-to-door, seeking to administer 1.7 million nOPV2 doses after detecting vaccine-derived type 2 virus in sewage in the southern city Blantyre last month, .      鈥淧olio endgame鈥�: The WHO's SAGE Polio Working Group convened in Geneva this month to review global polio eradication strategies, including phasing out the two-strain oral vaccine (bOPV) while improving the nOPV2 and next-generation shots (IPV), .     An uncertain future in the U.S.: Despite these global strides, the future of vaccine strategy in the U.S. is uncertain as allies of HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. form coalitions to roll back state-level school vaccine mandates鈥攁larming public health experts who warn this could swiftly erode a century of protections against deadly childhood diseases, including polio, .  DATA POINT

123 million
鈥斺赌斺赌斺�斺赌斺赌�
Additional malaria cases in Africa by 2050 that could be triggered by climate change, driven mostly by extreme weather events, led by researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia and Curtin University. 鈥�
  PHARMACEUTICALS Peru鈥檚 Defective Cancer Drugs     Ineffective and even dangerous cancer drugs have been repeatedly shipped to Peru health facilities amid an ongoing pattern of regulatory failures within the country.     Unfit for use: ~118,000 vials of chemo bought with government funds have been ordered destroyed since 2019, though some reached hospitals and even patients before they were scrapped.     Poor track records: Pharma companies with problematic track records have been awarded state contracts, even after their drugs have failed quality tests.     Exacerbating a crisis: 1 in 4 cancer patients in Peru experience treatment delays because of drug shortages.     , in partnership with   OPPORTUNITY QUICK HITS Key US infectious-diseases centre to drop pandemic preparation 鈥�     NSF鈥檚 flagship fellowship program is rejecting applicants without peer review 鈥�     RFK Jr. shakes up top health department staff 鈥�     She was denied a legal abortion and sent to prison over an illegal one. Now she tells her story 鈥�     HIV made him expect to die at 40. At 73, Edwin Cameron asks: Who鈥檚 planning for our ageing survivors? 鈥�     Photos: The flying doctors of Lesotho won鈥檛 let their wings be clipped 鈥�   Issue No. 2864
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 detection of a newly identified recombinant mpox virus containing genetic material from two known strains underscores the need for continued genomic surveillance, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday, as the overall global public health risk assessment remains unchanged.

Scientists have identified a pattern of gene activity present in some female survivors of childhood abuse that is associated with an elevated risk of depression.

Scientists have identified a pattern of gene activity present in some female survivors of childhood abuse that is associated with an elevated risk of depression.

96 Global Health NOW: EPA Moves to Revoke Key Climate Health Warning Plus: Kenya Battles Kala-azar February 12, 2026 TOP STORIES Life-threatening blood clots that have been a rare side effect of some COVID-19 vaccines, including those by Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca, are caused by an adenovirus protein used by both vaccines which triggered 鈥渞ogue鈥� antibodies in people with a particular genetic background, .      The WHO director-general has called a U.S.-funded hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau 鈥渦nethical,鈥� as the trial will deny half the children the vaccine despite its proven efficacy; instead of testing benefits or efficacy, the study appears focused on looking for adverse outcomes in children who receive a birth dose.     Measles cases fell across Europe and Central Asia last year, dropping by 75% in 2025 compared to 2024 due to outbreak response measures and 鈥渢he gradual decline in the number of people susceptible鈥� to infection as the virus infected undervaccinated communities, per new UN data; still, outbreak risks remain.     More than 70% of baby foods, drinks, and snacks sold in the U.S.鈥攊ncluding crackers, yogurt, and puffs鈥攁re ultraprocessed and contain additives that have been linked to health issues, according to   IN FOCUS Steam rises from the smoke stacks of the Ravenswood Generating Station, New York City's largest power plant, on January 26. Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty EPA Moves to Revoke Key Climate Health Warning
The EPA is poised to revoke its own 2009 scientific conclusion that greenhouse gases are a threat to public health and welfare鈥攗pending the legal foundation for a wide range of federal climate protections, .    Background: Known as the determination established wide-ranging health threats posed by greenhouse gases produced by oil, gas, and coal, and has since been invoked to set emissions limits for vehicles and power plants.     The long road to repeal: Members of President Trump鈥檚 administration have long worked to dismantle climate legislation they describe as unfounded and harmful to the economy, , with White House officials lauding the rollback as 鈥渢he largest deregulatory action in American history.鈥�     Long-term impact: Ending the finding could block future presidents from using the EPA to limit emissions, allowing industries to fully abandon regulations,     Scientific backlash: Leading scientific and health organizations overwhelmingly oppose the rollback, saying it ignores vast and mounting scientific evidence that links pollution- and climate change-driven disasters to illness, higher medical costs, and premature deaths 鈥渂eyond scientific dispute,鈥� .   

• Environmental groups have pledged to fight the EPA 鈥渆very step of the way鈥� with legal challenges that could stretch for years.

• 鈥淐ommunities across the country will bear the brunt of this decision鈥攖hrough dirtier air, higher health costs, and increased climate harm,鈥� said Michelle Roos, executive director of the Environmental Protection Network, . 

  Related: Scientific analysis says climate change fueled conditions for Chile, Argentina wildfires 鈥�  DATA POINT

94 million+ 
鈥斺赌斺赌斺�斺�斺�撯��
The number of people worldwide who suffer from cataracts; half of them lack access to the corrective surgery, according to the WHO. 鈥�
  NEGLECTED DISEASES  Kenya Battles Kala-azar 
An outbreak of kala-azar, also known as visceral leishmaniasis, has surged in Kenya's dry regions over the last year.     By the numbers: Cases spiked from 1,575 in 2024 to 3,577 in 2025, and the disease has a 95% fatality rate if untreated.  

• Few facilities in Kenya have the capacity to diagnose or treat the illness, and more training to address the medical crisis is needed.  

Drought-driven spread: The parasitic disease is carried by sandflies, which have expanded their reach amid ongoing drought and dry conditions resulting from climate change and urbanization.     Mitigation efforts: Six African nations most affected by kala-azar adopted a framework in Nairobi in 2023 to eliminate the disease by 2030.    ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION A Dozen Roaches
It鈥檚 been said that revenge is a dish best served cold. But it may actually be a dish best served to an armadillo, .    Thankfully, every February, a slew of zoos and wildlife conservation groups offer such a service,  de facto guide to vengeful Valentines.    A sampling:    Bugs and hisses: The San Antonio Zoo鈥檚 annual  allows donors to pay $5 to name a cockroach after an ex, then have it fed to inhabitants, .  

• Similarly, the  lets donors revenge-name mealworms or rats which are then fed to birds of prey with 鈥渧ideo proof of their revenge being swallowed whole.鈥�  

Cutting them off: Animal shelters from  to  offer a certain kind of closure via 鈥淣euter Your Ex鈥� fundraisers, allowing donors to name a feral cat after a former flame before the cat is spayed or neutered through Trap-Neuter-Return programs.     Getting dumped: The Gulf Coast Humane Society in Corpus Christi, Texas, hosts a , in which donors can have their ex鈥檚 name written on paper and placed in a litter box, where it will be 鈥� 鈥渆motionally processed.鈥� QUICK HITS US to participate in meeting on influenza vaccine composition, WHO official says 鈥�   

Study supports shorter treatment regimens for TB prevention 鈥� 

Four states sue Trump administration over cuts to public health funding 鈥�   

Nurses on strike in New York approve new contracts at 2 of 3 hospital systems 鈥� 

Public health workers reflect on a year since mass layoffs at the CDC 鈥�  

鈥楢t 2am, it feels like someone鈥檚 there鈥�: why Nigerians are choosing chatbots to give them advice and therapy 鈥�  Issue No. 2863
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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96 Global Health NOW: Deteriorating Health Conditions in Immigration Detention; and The Struggle to Keep Mobile Crisis Teams in Action February 11, 2026 TOP STORIES At least nine people were killed and at least 25 injured yesterday in Canada鈥檚 deadliest mass shooting in decades; the shootings, at the hands of a suspect who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, took place in a home and a secondary school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.   
The U.S. FDA has refused to review Moderna鈥檚 application for a new mRNA flu vaccine, though no safety or efficacy concerns were identified; Moderna has requested an urgent meeting with the FDA, noting that it has submitted the vaccine for review in Europe, Canada, and Australia.  
  Aluminum exposure from dietary sources over the course of a 100-year lifespan is 鈥渙rders of magnitude鈥� higher than the cumulative lifetime exposure from all the recommended aluminum-containing vaccines, .  
Tanning companies are spreading harmful misinformation about suntanning beds鈥攃laiming a range of health benefits, from boosting energy to preventing colds and flu鈥攐n social media ads targeting young people, while cancer charities link the sunbeds to rising melanoma cases among youth in the UK.   IN FOCUS Texas State Troopers prepare to disperse a crowd protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement outside the South Texas Family Residential Center. January 28, Dilley, Texas. Joel Angel Juarez/Getty Deteriorating Health Conditions in Immigration Detention    As U.S. immigration detention centers expand under the Trump administration鈥檚 mass deportation campaign, detainees and health workers are reporting severe health and safety breakdowns鈥攊ncluding among children.     In Dilley, Texas: Families are being held for weeks or months at facilities like the Dilley Detention Center, . Despite legal limits on detaining minors, ~300 have been held for 20+ days.  

• Parents and children there report regular illness and limited medical attention. 鈥淐hildren with medical complaints frequently experience delays, dismissals, or lack of follow-up,鈥� reported nonprofit advocacy organization RAICES, which has logged ~700 reports of insufficient medical care since August 2025.  

• Others describe worsening mental health, with many children struggling with depression and self-harm amid prolonged stays and lack of schooling.  

In Guant谩namo Bay, Cuba: Health workers describe similarly bleak conditions at Guant谩namo Bay, where hundreds of immigrants are held, ~90% of them deemed low-risk, . 

• U.S. Public Health Service officers describe inadequate care, overcrowding, and dark, windowless cells. Several have resigned, saying they cannot serve under such conditions.  

• 鈥淧ublic health officers are being asked to facilitate a man-made humanitarian crisis,鈥� said nurse Rebekah Stewart, who resigned from the service. 

Related: 鈥淚 Have Been Here Too Long鈥�: Read Letters from the Children Detained at ICE鈥檚 Dilley Facility 鈥�   DATA POINT

91%
鈥斺赌斺赌�
Share of Americans across the political spectrum who agree it is important for the U.S. to be a global leader in science and technology; 63% expressed willingness to pay $1 more per week in taxes in support of medical and health research. 鈥� MENTAL HEALTH The Struggle to Keep Mobile Crisis Teams in Action     Over the last decade, U.S. communities have increasingly turned to mobile crisis teams to respond to psychiatric emergencies rather than dispatching law enforcement.  

• A  found that there are ~1,800 mobile teams nationwide, providing people with therapeutic care and helping them avoid jail or the ER.  

But financial support remains tenuous: Many are funded by unreliable grants or insufficient Medicaid payments鈥攆orcing programs to shrink or close.     Seeking funding fixes: A handful of states now require private insurers to cover mobile crisis calls or have levied other fees to help cover the programs, but advocates warn closures will continue without reliable, long-term funding.  

• 鈥淎 much-needed service is available and then not available, available and then not available,鈥� said Sierra Riesberg, director of the Behavioral Health Alliance of Montana. 

  SPONSORED Cells to Society: The Building Blocks of a Public Health Career    Explore public health at your own pace with the first four courses in a series of 12 non-credit learning experiences from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Designed for those interested in public health careers, these flexible courses build foundational knowledge in key areas and deepen professional skillsets.     CORRECTION IOU a Correction
We incorrectly spelled out IOM in our top story yesterday, about a ; IOM stands for the International Organization for Migration. Thanks to a sharp-eyed reader for setting us straight!  QUICK HITS In Sudan, sick and starving children 鈥榳asting away鈥� 鈥�   
India sticks to e-cigarette ban in snub for Philip Morris 鈥�     Landmark settlement could create new protections for harm reduction under disability law 鈥�     Film series memorializing the AIDS epidemic provides 'chilling parallels' to today 鈥�     Dozens of researchers will move to France from US following high-profile bid to lure talent 鈥�     Benjamin Korinek: Why global health shouldn鈥檛 be political 鈥�      FDA to reassess the safety of BHA, a preservative used in popular snack foods 鈥�     Affordable microscope speeds up malaria diagnosis with AI 鈥� Issue No. 2862
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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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Measles cases across Europe and Central Asia declined by 75 per cent in 2025 compared to 2024, according to preliminary data released on Wednesday by the World Health Organization (WHO), which warned of remaining outbreak risks.