For the first time, a new strain of bird flu was transmitted human-to-human. This is highly unusual–and could be the first sign of new global pandemic. Alanna Shaikh, MPH May 26, 2017 In 1918, the world was rocked by pandemic flu. A virulent strain of influenza, H1N1 influenza swept across the whole planet. A fifth of the world’s population was infected, and 20-40 million people died. It kil...
The White House Budget Contains Gratuitous Cuts to Humanitarian Relief, Global Health and the United Nations Mark Leon Goldberg May 23, 2017 The White House budget released today contains massive cuts to the foreign affairs budget. Overall, the proposed FY18 budget is a 32 percent cut over FY 17 levels, from $59.1 billion in FY’17 to $40.1 billion i...
Map of the Day: In Yemen, a Looming Famine and Current Cholera Outbreak form a Deadly Nexus. Mark Leon Goldberg May 19, 2017 Today's map comes from the European Commission. It shows an alarming cholera outbreak is spreading in Yemen in exactly the same places that are suffering most from food insecurity. To date, there have been over...
It’s Official: ALL US Health Assistance–from Measles to Malaria– is caught up in US abortion politics Mark Leon Goldberg May 16, 2017 One of Donald Trump's first acts as president was to re-instate the "Global Gag Rule." This is a rule that has been imposed by Republican presidents since the 1980s and stipulates that no US funding for global ...
WHO’s the Boss? Inside the Race to Elect a New Head of the World Health Organization Alanna Shaikh, MPH May 15, 2017 It's election season in Geneva. Three candidates are squaring off to become the next head of the World Health Organization. The electors are every national government on the planet. Dr. Margaret Chan has ...
A “Mystery Disease” is Killing People in Liberia. Can it be stopped like ebola? Mark Leon Goldberg May 10, 2017 On April 23, an 11-year-old boy was admitted to a local hospital in a remote county of Liberia. He was vomiting, had diarrhea and was delirious. The day before, he attended a funeral. One hour after being admi...
Thanks to the USA, 7,400 Babies Were Born in this Refugee Camp Without a Single Death. Now, the White House is Pulling Its Support Mark Leon Goldberg May 9, 2017 Ed note. As of May 2017, more and 7,400 babies have been delivered in the maternity ward of a UN-run clinic in Zataari refugee camp without a single maternal death. On March 31, 2017, the U.S. announced it woul...
Map of the Day: A Victory-in-Progress Against Least-Known Worst Diseases in the World Alanna Shaikh, MPH April 28, 2017 It’s been five years since the the World Health Organization launched an ambitious "action plan" to bring some of the world's least-known worst diseases under control. These so-called Neglected Tropical Disease...
Humanity Just Took One Big Step Closer to Ending Malaria Alanna Shaikh, MPH April 25, 2017 Today is World Malaria Day. It’s a reminder that malaria still kills. In 2015, there were an estimated 212 million malaria cases, and 429,000 people died. Most of those deaths were women and children; malari...
