96
Global Health NOW: Global Health NOW: Fireworks and Heartbreak in an Indian Village; U.S. Administration Seeks Data and Deep Cuts; and Moose See TV
鈥淔or most people, fireworks mean joy.鈥�
April 17, 2025
Muthukutti, 23, endured the amputation of his left leg after the 2021 Sree Mariyammal Fireworks Factory explosion outside Sivakasi, India. Kamala Thiagarajan
Fireworks and Heartbreak in a Hard-Hit Indian Village
SIVAKASI, India鈥擮f the 650 families who live in Surangudi village, most have lost either a limb or a loved one to fireworks, says social activist Vijay Kumar.
Tens of thousands of workers in Sivakasi produce 50,000 tons of firecrackers annually鈥攎ost of India's fireworks.
But they also risk deadly fires and explosions in their work.
Deadly blast: A February 12, 2021, explosion killed 27 workers at the Sree Mariyammal Fireworks Factory and injured dozens more.
The Quote: 鈥淔or most people, fireworks mean joy,鈥� says Kumar, , which aids fireworks factory victims in the Sivakasi area. 鈥淏ut for those whose lives are so closely associated with it, it鈥檚 a source of sorrow and heartbreak.鈥�
Ed. Note: Our thanks go to Padmavathy Krishna Kumar who shared the idea for this topic and received an honorable mention in the , co-sponsored by Global Health NOW and the . GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
The COVID-19 pandemic鈥檚 effect on measles is coming into focus, with published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases showing a steady decline in disease incidence over 30 years鈥攂ut a stark drop in vaccination in 2021.
The Alzheimer鈥檚 drug lecanemab has been approved for use in the EU; however, only a 鈥渧ery small portion鈥� of patients will be eligible for the drug, which is sold under the brand name Leqembi and is authorized in the U.S., U.K., and Japan.
Arsenic levels in paddy rice could significantly rise with climate change, finds a new study that showed increased temperatures coupled with rising carbon dioxide levels could lead to higher concentrations of inorganic arsenic in rice, potentially raising lifetime health risks for populations in Asia, where rice is a staple food, by 2050.
Limiting PPE to just N95 respirators late in the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore health facilities was effective in keeping staff safe while also lowering costs and curbing medical-related waste, finds a published in JAMA Network Open. U.S. POLICY Administration Seeks Data and Deep Cuts
As U.S. federal health agencies continue to see seismic shifts under the Trump administration, two key developments reported by The Washington Post give insight into some of the administration鈥檚 imminent objectives:
Deeper health cuts: A preliminary draft of the 2026 fiscal year budget reveals the Trump administration is seeking a $40 billion cut to HHS鈥檚 discretionary budget, roughly one-third of the agency鈥檚 discretionary spending, and is planning major reorganization and consolidation of agencies within the administration.
ICE seeks Medicare data: U.S. immigration officials and Elon Musk鈥檚 DOGE team are seeking 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� access to sensitive Medicare databases as a way to track down undocumented immigrants, , despite the fact that undocumented immigrants are barred from Medicare benefits.
Related:
In the middle of a hepatitis outbreak, U.S. shutters the one CDC lab that could help 鈥�
RFK Jr. contradicts CDC on causes of autism 鈥�
Top NIH nutrition researcher studying ultraprocessed foods departs, citing censorship under Kennedy 鈥�
Women, minorities fired in purge of NIH science review boards 鈥�
Exclusive: US consumer safety agency to stop collecting swaths of data after CDC cuts 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES CAMBODIA Fifty Years After 鈥榊ear Zero鈥�
Five decades have now passed since the declaration of 鈥淵ear Zero,鈥� when Pol Pot and the brutal Khmer Rouge regime seized power in Cambodia.
A legacy of trauma: among survivors and their descendants.
Ongoing need for justice: While a tribunal convicted three Khmer Rouge senior leaders for crimes against humanity in 2018, , critics say many key perpetrators were never held to account.
The next generation: The majority of Cambodia鈥檚 population is under 30鈥斺�渨ith no more than an inkling鈥� of the genocide, leading survivors to start a storytelling initiative, .
Related:
Unsung No More, Cambodia鈥檚 Malaria Hero 鈥� (from August 2024)
Q&A: Patrick Heuveline on the Khmer Rouge鈥檚 long-term impact on Cambodia 鈥� ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Moose See TV
Forget high-octane car chases and whodunnit cliffhangers. The real formula for suspense TV? Not knowing when a moose might show up.
The megahit Swedish TV show 鈥溾�� (鈥淭he Great Elk Trek鈥�) began airing this Tuesday, serving up a must-see livestream of mostly nature scenery, occasionally punctuated by moose crossing the 脜ngerman River.
More than binge-worthy, some fans can始t seem to focus on anything else. But how does one consume 20 days of round-the-clock content? By rearranging their entire lives.
鈥淚 feel relaxed, but at the same time I鈥檓 like, 鈥極h, there鈥檚 a moose. Oh, what if there鈥檚 a moose? I can鈥檛 go to the toilet!鈥欌��
QUICK HITS Haiti: Escalating Violence Puts Population at Grave Risk 鈥�
Colombia declares health emergency after dozens die of yellow fever 鈥�
Rising temperatures could cancel most outdoor school sports in summer by 2060s 鈥�
Reconsidering Ebola virus nomenclature: a call for a stigma-free and precise terminology 鈥�
CDC advisors broaden RSV vaccine recommendations to at-risk adults in their 50s 鈥�
Immune system proteins involved in severe parasitic disease identified 鈥�
What impact will driving at 17 have on road safety? 鈥�
AI-boosted cameras help blind people to navigate 鈥� Issue No. 2710
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:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
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.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
SIVAKASI, India鈥擮f the 650 families who live in Surangudi village, most have lost either a limb or a loved one to fireworks, says social activist Vijay Kumar.
Tens of thousands of workers in Sivakasi produce 50,000 tons of firecrackers annually鈥攎ost of India's fireworks.
But they also risk deadly fires and explosions in their work.
Deadly blast: A February 12, 2021, explosion killed 27 workers at the Sree Mariyammal Fireworks Factory and injured dozens more.
- Many of the killed and injured were from Surangudi village, including Muthukutti, 23, whose left leg had to be amputated.
- His aunt, Shanmugavadivu, also worked in the factory and had third-degree burns on her chest, stomach, arms, and legs.
The Quote: 鈥淔or most people, fireworks mean joy,鈥� says Kumar, , which aids fireworks factory victims in the Sivakasi area. 鈥淏ut for those whose lives are so closely associated with it, it鈥檚 a source of sorrow and heartbreak.鈥�
Ed. Note: Our thanks go to Padmavathy Krishna Kumar who shared the idea for this topic and received an honorable mention in the , co-sponsored by Global Health NOW and the . GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
The COVID-19 pandemic鈥檚 effect on measles is coming into focus, with published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases showing a steady decline in disease incidence over 30 years鈥攂ut a stark drop in vaccination in 2021.
The Alzheimer鈥檚 drug lecanemab has been approved for use in the EU; however, only a 鈥渧ery small portion鈥� of patients will be eligible for the drug, which is sold under the brand name Leqembi and is authorized in the U.S., U.K., and Japan.
Arsenic levels in paddy rice could significantly rise with climate change, finds a new study that showed increased temperatures coupled with rising carbon dioxide levels could lead to higher concentrations of inorganic arsenic in rice, potentially raising lifetime health risks for populations in Asia, where rice is a staple food, by 2050.
Limiting PPE to just N95 respirators late in the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore health facilities was effective in keeping staff safe while also lowering costs and curbing medical-related waste, finds a published in JAMA Network Open. U.S. POLICY Administration Seeks Data and Deep Cuts
As U.S. federal health agencies continue to see seismic shifts under the Trump administration, two key developments reported by The Washington Post give insight into some of the administration鈥檚 imminent objectives:
Deeper health cuts: A preliminary draft of the 2026 fiscal year budget reveals the Trump administration is seeking a $40 billion cut to HHS鈥檚 discretionary budget, roughly one-third of the agency鈥檚 discretionary spending, and is planning major reorganization and consolidation of agencies within the administration.
ICE seeks Medicare data: U.S. immigration officials and Elon Musk鈥檚 DOGE team are seeking 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� access to sensitive Medicare databases as a way to track down undocumented immigrants, , despite the fact that undocumented immigrants are barred from Medicare benefits.
Related:
In the middle of a hepatitis outbreak, U.S. shutters the one CDC lab that could help 鈥�
RFK Jr. contradicts CDC on causes of autism 鈥�
Top NIH nutrition researcher studying ultraprocessed foods departs, citing censorship under Kennedy 鈥�
Women, minorities fired in purge of NIH science review boards 鈥�
Exclusive: US consumer safety agency to stop collecting swaths of data after CDC cuts 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES CAMBODIA Fifty Years After 鈥榊ear Zero鈥�
Five decades have now passed since the declaration of 鈥淵ear Zero,鈥� when Pol Pot and the brutal Khmer Rouge regime seized power in Cambodia.
- From 1975 to 1979, 2 million+ people were killed in a wave of racial genocide, widespread famine, forced labor, and executions.
A legacy of trauma: among survivors and their descendants.
Ongoing need for justice: While a tribunal convicted three Khmer Rouge senior leaders for crimes against humanity in 2018, , critics say many key perpetrators were never held to account.
The next generation: The majority of Cambodia鈥檚 population is under 30鈥斺�渨ith no more than an inkling鈥� of the genocide, leading survivors to start a storytelling initiative, .
Related:
Unsung No More, Cambodia鈥檚 Malaria Hero 鈥� (from August 2024)
Q&A: Patrick Heuveline on the Khmer Rouge鈥檚 long-term impact on Cambodia 鈥� ALMOST FRIDAY DIVERSION Moose See TV
Forget high-octane car chases and whodunnit cliffhangers. The real formula for suspense TV? Not knowing when a moose might show up.
The megahit Swedish TV show 鈥溾�� (鈥淭he Great Elk Trek鈥�) began airing this Tuesday, serving up a must-see livestream of mostly nature scenery, occasionally punctuated by moose crossing the 脜ngerman River.
More than binge-worthy, some fans can始t seem to focus on anything else. But how does one consume 20 days of round-the-clock content? By rearranging their entire lives.
- Kids are missing school during the migration. And 鈥淪leep? Forget it. I don鈥檛 sleep,鈥� said one viewer.
鈥淚 feel relaxed, but at the same time I鈥檓 like, 鈥極h, there鈥檚 a moose. Oh, what if there鈥檚 a moose? I can鈥檛 go to the toilet!鈥欌��
QUICK HITS Haiti: Escalating Violence Puts Population at Grave Risk 鈥�
Colombia declares health emergency after dozens die of yellow fever 鈥�
Rising temperatures could cancel most outdoor school sports in summer by 2060s 鈥�
Reconsidering Ebola virus nomenclature: a call for a stigma-free and precise terminology 鈥�
CDC advisors broaden RSV vaccine recommendations to at-risk adults in their 50s 鈥�
Immune system proteins involved in severe parasitic disease identified 鈥�
What impact will driving at 17 have on road safety? 鈥�
AI-boosted cameras help blind people to navigate 鈥� Issue No. 2710
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:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
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.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
Categories: Global Health Feed
96
Global Health NOW: Pandemic Agreement Reached; A Brain Bank Hangs in the Balance; and Spore-Driven Threats
190 countries agree to working draft of global pandemic treaty
April 16, 2025
Pandemic agreement negotiations co-chair Anne-Claire Amprou and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus after a consensus on the pandemic treaty at the WHO headquarters, Geneva, on April 16. Christopher Black/WHO/AFP via Getty
Pandemic Agreement Reached
Around 2 a.m. today at the WHO鈥檚 Geneva headquarters鈥攁fter 3+ years of back-and-forth between 190 countries鈥攖he 32-page working draft of a global pandemic treaty was finally highlighted in one color: green.
鈥淚t's adopted,鈥� negotiations co-chair Anne-Claire Amprou said, 鈥渢o thundering applause,鈥� .
The approved pact sets guidelines for international collaboration in a future global health crisis, and is a victory for the WHO at a moment of geopolitical upheaval, .
Final sticking points related to the technology transfer clause, which governs how drug and vaccine manufacturers share information and tools for medicine and vaccine production.
Notably absent: The U.S., which was barred from participating following President Trump鈥檚 January decision to withdraw from the WHO, and which is not expected to sign the treaty.
What鈥檚 next: Final adoption is pending approval by the World Health Assembly in May.
Related: WHO tests pandemic response with Arctic 鈥榤ammothpox鈥� outbreak 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
The UK Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law, a landmark decision following years of debate that could have significant implications for how sex-based rights and services apply across Scotland, England, and Wales.
A new antibiotic is effective against gonorrhea, ; if approved, it could become the first new class of antibiotic for the STI in 20+ years鈥攁 key tool as antibiotic resistance grows.
Children鈥檚 mattresses can emit toxic chemicals linked with developmental and hormonal disorders, two new studies have found; high levels of chemicals like phthalates and flame retardants were found near children鈥檚 beds, and a identified mattresses as a key source of exposure.
The autism diagnosis rate among U.S. 8-year-olds increased from 1 in 36 in 2020 to 1 in 31 in 2022, ; rates among boys remained higher than among girls, and, as in 2020, were higher among Asian, Black, and Hispanic children than among white children. ALZHEIMER始S A Brain Bank Hangs in the Balance
An NIH funding pause has disrupted one of the most expansive Alzheimer鈥檚 research programs in the U.S., with researchers especially worried about the fate of 4,000 donated brains being preserved for research.
Related: As dementia rates increase, experts warn hospital emergency rooms are underprepared 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES FUNGAL INFECTIONS Spore-Driven Threats
In the wake of the of the need for more treatments and diagnostics for fungal pathogens, scientists are laying out evidence of a growing fungal threat:
5% of US cancers may be caused by medical imaging radiation 鈥�
Emergency rooms treat a gunshot wound every half-hour 鈥�
Oropouche virus 鈥榤assively underdiagnosed鈥� in Latin America, new study suggests 鈥�
Paris air pollution is down 50% after its radical bike-friendly transformation 鈥�
We鈥檙e on the verge of a universal allergy cure 鈥�
Africa needs innovative financing solutions to prevent health systems from collapsing, say experts 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Dave Cundiff!
Exclusive: the most-cited papers of the twenty-first century 鈥� Issue No. 2709
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:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
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.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
Around 2 a.m. today at the WHO鈥檚 Geneva headquarters鈥攁fter 3+ years of back-and-forth between 190 countries鈥攖he 32-page working draft of a global pandemic treaty was finally highlighted in one color: green.
鈥淚t's adopted,鈥� negotiations co-chair Anne-Claire Amprou said, 鈥渢o thundering applause,鈥� .
The approved pact sets guidelines for international collaboration in a future global health crisis, and is a victory for the WHO at a moment of geopolitical upheaval, .
- The agreement signals that 鈥渋n our divided world, nations can still work together to find common ground and a shared response,鈥� said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Final sticking points related to the technology transfer clause, which governs how drug and vaccine manufacturers share information and tools for medicine and vaccine production.
- Such information will be shared on a 鈥渕utually agreed upon鈥� rather than mandatory basis, .
Notably absent: The U.S., which was barred from participating following President Trump鈥檚 January decision to withdraw from the WHO, and which is not expected to sign the treaty.
What鈥檚 next: Final adoption is pending approval by the World Health Assembly in May.
Related: WHO tests pandemic response with Arctic 鈥榤ammothpox鈥� outbreak 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES The Latest One-Liners
The UK Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law, a landmark decision following years of debate that could have significant implications for how sex-based rights and services apply across Scotland, England, and Wales.
A new antibiotic is effective against gonorrhea, ; if approved, it could become the first new class of antibiotic for the STI in 20+ years鈥攁 key tool as antibiotic resistance grows.
Children鈥檚 mattresses can emit toxic chemicals linked with developmental and hormonal disorders, two new studies have found; high levels of chemicals like phthalates and flame retardants were found near children鈥檚 beds, and a identified mattresses as a key source of exposure.
The autism diagnosis rate among U.S. 8-year-olds increased from 1 in 36 in 2020 to 1 in 31 in 2022, ; rates among boys remained higher than among girls, and, as in 2020, were higher among Asian, Black, and Hispanic children than among white children. ALZHEIMER始S A Brain Bank Hangs in the Balance
An NIH funding pause has disrupted one of the most expansive Alzheimer鈥檚 research programs in the U.S., with researchers especially worried about the fate of 4,000 donated brains being preserved for research.
- The Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research Center at the University of Washington鈥攐ne of the public universities hardest hit by the freeze鈥攊s home to a range of decades-long studies, including one following 450 people until death.
- Even the temporary pause could upend long-term trials, therapy pipelines, and current patient care, researchers say.
Related: As dementia rates increase, experts warn hospital emergency rooms are underprepared 鈥� GLOBAL HEALTH VOICES FUNGAL INFECTIONS Spore-Driven Threats
In the wake of the of the need for more treatments and diagnostics for fungal pathogens, scientists are laying out evidence of a growing fungal threat:
- Perennial maladies like vaginal yeast infections and athlete鈥檚 foot are getting harder to treat, and antifungal-resistant pathogens like Candida auris have become a 鈥渟ilent pandemic鈥� in hospitals.
- Invasive fungal infections are killing ~2.5 million people each year鈥攖wice the global fatalities of tuberculosis.
- It also means an increase in disruptive weather events like dust storms, which lead to the spread of spore-driven diseases like Valley fever.
5% of US cancers may be caused by medical imaging radiation 鈥�
Emergency rooms treat a gunshot wound every half-hour 鈥�
Oropouche virus 鈥榤assively underdiagnosed鈥� in Latin America, new study suggests 鈥�
Paris air pollution is down 50% after its radical bike-friendly transformation 鈥�
We鈥檙e on the verge of a universal allergy cure 鈥�
Africa needs innovative financing solutions to prevent health systems from collapsing, say experts 鈥� Thanks for the tip, Dave Cundiff!
Exclusive: the most-cited papers of the twenty-first century 鈥� Issue No. 2709
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:
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can or . -->
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.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can or .
Categories: Global Health Feed
In the early hours of Wednesday morning in Geneva, countries finalized a draft global agreement aimed at improving how the world prepares for and responds to pandemics, marking a historic step that will be submitted to the World Health Assembly in May for adoption.
Categories: Global Health Feed
