Think Global Health
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A new publication examining how changes in health are reshaping economies, societies, and everyday lives. An initiative from @cfr.org.
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📩 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/newsletter
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Think Global Health
Revealing forces in global health
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Hello Bluesky! Think Global Health is an online bulletin that examines the ways in which changes in health are reshaping economies, societies, and the everyday lives of people around the globe.
Check out our website below and subscribe to our newsletter: www.thinkglobalhealth.org/newsletter
Check out our website below and subscribe to our newsletter: www.thinkglobalhealth.org/newsletter
One in four people worldwide live in fragile contexts, which can devolve into a humanitarian emergency through a confluence of crises. In these areas, assessing local capacity along with national systems are essential in assessing pandemic preparedness.
Repairing Global Health Security at the Humanitarian Frontline | Think Global Health
Reorienting the global preparedness system to include humanitarian settings requires conceptual and operational shifts
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January 26, 2026 at 9:51 PM
One in four people worldwide live in fragile contexts, which can devolve into a humanitarian emergency through a confluence of crises. In these areas, assessing local capacity along with national systems are essential in assessing pandemic preparedness.
Cambodia’s maternal mortality ratio is more than double the UN target of 70 deaths per 100,000 births. An OB-GYN and health administrator highlights how inexpensive strategies improved maternal care at his rural hospital.
Cost Effective Reforms to Save Mothers' Lives in Cambodia | Think Global Health
An OB-GYN and health administrator recounts how practical, inexpensive strategies improved maternal care at his rural hospital
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January 26, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Cambodia’s maternal mortality ratio is more than double the UN target of 70 deaths per 100,000 births. An OB-GYN and health administrator highlights how inexpensive strategies improved maternal care at his rural hospital.
The American Academy of Pediatrics describes the new U.S. childhood vaccination schedule as “dangerous and unnecessary." Despite that pushback, pediatricians and states could expose themselves to legal threats if they forgo the new schedule.
New U.S. Childhood Vaccine Schedule Creates Legal Peril | Think Global Health
A law professor weighs the legal protections for pediatricians and states following the rescheduling of certain childhood vaccines
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January 23, 2026 at 9:12 PM
The American Academy of Pediatrics describes the new U.S. childhood vaccination schedule as “dangerous and unnecessary." Despite that pushback, pediatricians and states could expose themselves to legal threats if they forgo the new schedule.
The new U.S. vaccine schedule arrives as declining immunization rates and growing nonmedical exemptions have allowed flu, measles, and pertussis to thrive.
Gavi’s former head Seth Berkley explores what this approach means for pandemic preparedness.
Gavi’s former head Seth Berkley explores what this approach means for pandemic preparedness.
Former Head of Gavi on the U.S. Retreat from Vaccines | Think Global Health
Seth Berkley evaluates the new U.S. vaccine schedule and what defunding immunization means for pandemic preparedness
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January 22, 2026 at 10:07 PM
The new U.S. vaccine schedule arrives as declining immunization rates and growing nonmedical exemptions have allowed flu, measles, and pertussis to thrive.
Gavi’s former head Seth Berkley explores what this approach means for pandemic preparedness.
Gavi’s former head Seth Berkley explores what this approach means for pandemic preparedness.
Older adults facing grief, frailty, and loneliness are easy targets for AI scammers. To protect those adults, regulatory efforts against AI-related risks are emerging across the United States.
Helping Older Adults Navigate AI Scams | Think Global Health
Regulatory efforts to protect seniors against AI-related risks are emerging across the United States
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January 22, 2026 at 8:55 PM
Older adults facing grief, frailty, and loneliness are easy targets for AI scammers. To protect those adults, regulatory efforts against AI-related risks are emerging across the United States.
As the United States marks one year since a measles outbreak began in Texas, cases are still climbing. South Carolina reports 212 new cases in the past week, raising its total to 646.
Elsewhere, Mexico's outbreak has recorded 7,131 cases and 24 deaths.
Elsewhere, Mexico's outbreak has recorded 7,131 cases and 24 deaths.
Vaccine-Preventable Disease: A Global Tracker | Think Global Health
This map is updated weekly and visualizes outbreaks of nine childhood diseases in collaboration with the International Society for Infectious Diseases
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January 21, 2026 at 9:07 PM
As the United States marks one year since a measles outbreak began in Texas, cases are still climbing. South Carolina reports 212 new cases in the past week, raising its total to 646.
Elsewhere, Mexico's outbreak has recorded 7,131 cases and 24 deaths.
Elsewhere, Mexico's outbreak has recorded 7,131 cases and 24 deaths.
A year ago, President Donald Trump initiated the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO). A former special advisor to the WHO director general outlines three reforms that could entice the United States to return.
The United States Leaves the WHO. Three Reforms Could Motivate Its Return | Think Global Health
A former special advisor to the WHO director general outlines arenas that could strengthen global health regardless of a U.S. withdrawal
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January 21, 2026 at 5:53 PM
A year ago, President Donald Trump initiated the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO). A former special advisor to the WHO director general outlines three reforms that could entice the United States to return.
In December 2025, gold prices reached an all-time high, topping $4,400 per ounce. As gold demand grows, more of Ghana’s rural families are turning to small-scale mining that exposes workers to toxins and dangerous conditions.
Gold Prices Reach Record High, Poisoning Ghana's Land | Think Global Health
As gold demand grows, Ghana's rural families turn to riskier operations, worsened by lax regulations and porous supply chains
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January 20, 2026 at 7:51 PM
In December 2025, gold prices reached an all-time high, topping $4,400 per ounce. As gold demand grows, more of Ghana’s rural families are turning to small-scale mining that exposes workers to toxins and dangerous conditions.
Declines in donor funding threaten progress against HIV and other diseases. To bolster the global health ecosystem, African health and finance officials, along with the former executive director of UNAIDS, offer 10 considerations for reforms this year:
Transforming the Global Health Ecosystem for a Healthier World in 2026 | Think Global Health
African health and finance officials, along with the former executive director of UNAIDS, offer 10 considerations for global health reform initiatives
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January 20, 2026 at 7:46 PM
Declines in donor funding threaten progress against HIV and other diseases. To bolster the global health ecosystem, African health and finance officials, along with the former executive director of UNAIDS, offer 10 considerations for reforms this year:
New work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients will lead to more than 1 million older adults losing their food aid, and rural communities will be hit hardest.
SNAP Benefits in 2026: What Older Adults Should Expect From Work Requirements | Think Global Health
An explainer outlines new work requirements for U.S. food benefits and the ways older adults can meet them
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January 19, 2026 at 8:58 PM
New work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients will lead to more than 1 million older adults losing their food aid, and rural communities will be hit hardest.
Deep cuts to foreign aid threaten hard-won gains in combating diseases such as HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. Read 10 considerations to guide global health ecosystem reforms.
Transforming the Global Health Ecosystem for a Healthier World in 2026 | Think Global Health
African health and finance officials, along with the former executive director of UNAIDS, offer 10 considerations for global health reform initiatives
www.thinkglobalhealth.org
January 16, 2026 at 9:11 PM
Deep cuts to foreign aid threaten hard-won gains in combating diseases such as HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. Read 10 considerations to guide global health ecosystem reforms.
The new U.S. vaccine schedule reduces the number of childhood diseases covered by routine immunization from 17 to 11—a move experts describe as “dangerous.”
But pediatricians and states could expose themselves to legal threats by forgoing the schedule.
But pediatricians and states could expose themselves to legal threats by forgoing the schedule.
New U.S. Childhood Vaccine Schedule Creates Legal Peril | Think Global Health
A law professor weighs the legal protections for pediatricians and states following the rescheduling of certain childhood vaccines
www.thinkglobalhealth.org
January 16, 2026 at 7:56 PM
The new U.S. vaccine schedule reduces the number of childhood diseases covered by routine immunization from 17 to 11—a move experts describe as “dangerous.”
But pediatricians and states could expose themselves to legal threats by forgoing the schedule.
But pediatricians and states could expose themselves to legal threats by forgoing the schedule.
Disease outbreaks are common in areas experiencing humanitarian crises, where traditional preparedness tools and approaches are often inadequate. To properly assess readiness in those settings, long-term investments in primary care are needed.
Repairing Global Health Security at the Humanitarian Frontline | Think Global Health
Reorienting the global preparedness system to include humanitarian settings requires conceptual and operational shifts
www.thinkglobalhealth.org
January 15, 2026 at 9:14 PM
Disease outbreaks are common in areas experiencing humanitarian crises, where traditional preparedness tools and approaches are often inadequate. To properly assess readiness in those settings, long-term investments in primary care are needed.
From Sudan to San Francisco, food aid is under siege.
Sabeeha Quereshi writes that a new blueprint is needed: a human-centered, practical approach to food aid that makes dignity a strategic imperative, not a charitable afterthought to other sectors.
Sabeeha Quereshi writes that a new blueprint is needed: a human-centered, practical approach to food aid that makes dignity a strategic imperative, not a charitable afterthought to other sectors.
Feeding Dignity: A 2026 Blueprint for Food Aid in a Divided World | Think Global Health
From Sudan to the U.S. farm belt, hunger is rising not from scarcity but political disinvestment
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January 15, 2026 at 8:54 PM
From Sudan to San Francisco, food aid is under siege.
Sabeeha Quereshi writes that a new blueprint is needed: a human-centered, practical approach to food aid that makes dignity a strategic imperative, not a charitable afterthought to other sectors.
Sabeeha Quereshi writes that a new blueprint is needed: a human-centered, practical approach to food aid that makes dignity a strategic imperative, not a charitable afterthought to other sectors.
This week, U.S. Congress presented a bipartisan bill that appropriated $9.4 billion for global health, indicating that such spending could exceed initial expectations for 2026. But end-of-year estimates show that many programs remain in a funding limbo.
One Year Post-USAID, Global Health Funding Stuck in Limbo | Think Global Health
End-of-year estimates convey how much global health funding changed in 2025
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January 15, 2026 at 4:55 PM
This week, U.S. Congress presented a bipartisan bill that appropriated $9.4 billion for global health, indicating that such spending could exceed initial expectations for 2026. But end-of-year estimates show that many programs remain in a funding limbo.
Between 2004 and 2024, Mumbai's trains claimed nearly 66,500 lives, caused primarily by people falling from overcrowded trains. Despite those causalities, authorities continue to delay implementing safety reforms.
Why Mumbai's Overcrowded Trains Prove Fatal | Think Global Health
The city's suburban railway claims 10 lives a day on average, but authorities continue to delay safety reforms
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January 13, 2026 at 8:11 PM
Between 2004 and 2024, Mumbai's trains claimed nearly 66,500 lives, caused primarily by people falling from overcrowded trains. Despite those causalities, authorities continue to delay implementing safety reforms.
Last year, Chinese and Nigerian companies announced a string of plans to build pharmaceutical production facilities.
As China expands its Health Silk Road, countries have an opportunity to engage in an alternative to U.S.-backed models for global health.
As China expands its Health Silk Road, countries have an opportunity to engage in an alternative to U.S.-backed models for global health.
China's Evolving Global Health Leadership | Think Global Health
China's global health ascendence offers alternatives for partnerships that differ from traditional, U.S.-dominated models
thinkglobalhealth.org
January 13, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Last year, Chinese and Nigerian companies announced a string of plans to build pharmaceutical production facilities.
As China expands its Health Silk Road, countries have an opportunity to engage in an alternative to U.S.-backed models for global health.
As China expands its Health Silk Road, countries have an opportunity to engage in an alternative to U.S.-backed models for global health.
Recent breakthroughs in diagnostic technology, such as blood-based biomarkers, could allow for earlier and more precise diagnoses of Alzheimer's Disease.
Read more about these innovations:
Read more about these innovations:
A New Era for Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis | Think Global Health
Emerging biomarkers and digital tools are unlocking earlier and more accurate diagnosis
www.thinkglobalhealth.org
January 12, 2026 at 9:25 PM
Recent breakthroughs in diagnostic technology, such as blood-based biomarkers, could allow for earlier and more precise diagnoses of Alzheimer's Disease.
Read more about these innovations:
Read more about these innovations:
In the United States, nearly 8 in 10 older adults have used artificial intelligence (AI). However, scammers are now deploying AI chatbots to target seniors, and the trend has inspired a slew of new regulatory proposals.
Helping Older Adults Navigate AI Scams | Think Global Health
Regulatory efforts to protect seniors against AI-related risks are emerging across the United States
www.thinkglobalhealth.org
January 12, 2026 at 5:14 PM
In the United States, nearly 8 in 10 older adults have used artificial intelligence (AI). However, scammers are now deploying AI chatbots to target seniors, and the trend has inspired a slew of new regulatory proposals.
Noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes, influenced COVID-19 outcomes across countries. Without adequate preparation, this scenario could repeat itself during future epidemics and pandemics.
Does Pandemic Preparedness Depend on Confronting the Chronic Disease Crisis? | Think Global Health
An analysis looks at whether strategies to reduce the global burden of noncommunicable disease could aid pandemic preparedness
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January 9, 2026 at 8:49 PM
Noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes, influenced COVID-19 outcomes across countries. Without adequate preparation, this scenario could repeat itself during future epidemics and pandemics.
Originally approved for diabetes, GLP-1 drugs are being prescribed off-label to treat depression. But physicians warn that the access to those drugs is outpacing research on the mental health impacts.
The Mental Health Effects of Ozempic and GLP-1 Drugs | Think Global Health
As researchers decipher how GLP-1s affect mental health, experts worry access is outpacing the scientific investigation
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January 8, 2026 at 9:12 PM
Originally approved for diabetes, GLP-1 drugs are being prescribed off-label to treat depression. But physicians warn that the access to those drugs is outpacing research on the mental health impacts.
Measles is spreading in conflict zones. In 2025, Yemen recorded more than 16,000 infections and 100 deaths. In the past two weeks, Democratic Republic of Congo's Kasai-Oriental province reported 450 infections.
For more updates:
For more updates:
Vaccine-Preventable Disease: A Global Tracker | Think Global Health
This map is updated weekly and visualizes outbreaks of nine childhood diseases in collaboration with the International Society for Infectious Diseases
www.thinkglobalhealth.org
January 7, 2026 at 9:15 PM
Measles is spreading in conflict zones. In 2025, Yemen recorded more than 16,000 infections and 100 deaths. In the past two weeks, Democratic Republic of Congo's Kasai-Oriental province reported 450 infections.
For more updates:
For more updates:
Global aid cuts in 2025 threatened hard-won health gains. As a new year begins, African health and finance officials, along with the former executive director of UNAIDS, offer 10 considerations to transform the global health ecosystem.
Transforming the Global Health Ecosystem for a Healthier World in 2026 | Think Global Health
African health and finance officials, along with the former executive director of UNAIDS, offer 10 considerations for global health reform initiatives
www.thinkglobalhealth.org
January 7, 2026 at 6:09 PM
Global aid cuts in 2025 threatened hard-won health gains. As a new year begins, African health and finance officials, along with the former executive director of UNAIDS, offer 10 considerations to transform the global health ecosystem.
Last month, Congress reauthorized the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), expanding its funding ceiling to $205 billion. If utilized successfully, those funds could enhance the DFC's work in global health security.
What the Development Finance Corporation Reauthorization Means for Global Health Security | Think Global Health
The federal institution's new authorities and expanded mandate could facilitate U.S. engagement on global health security
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January 6, 2026 at 10:11 PM
Last month, Congress reauthorized the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), expanding its funding ceiling to $205 billion. If utilized successfully, those funds could enhance the DFC's work in global health security.
Traditional Alzheimer's disease diagnostic tools are limited, resulting in 75% of dementia cases going undiagnosed worldwide. New methods using blood biomarkers could transform the diagnostic landscape.
A New Era for Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis | Think Global Health
Emerging biomarkers and digital tools are unlocking earlier and more accurate diagnosis
www.thinkglobalhealth.org
January 6, 2026 at 7:50 PM
Traditional Alzheimer's disease diagnostic tools are limited, resulting in 75% of dementia cases going undiagnosed worldwide. New methods using blood biomarkers could transform the diagnostic landscape.