BY NIRAJ SRIVASTAVA On his first day back in presidential office, Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the US from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 12 months.1 His signature marks an alarming descent into American isolationism regarding health, throwing the future of global health in peril. Since the WHO’s inception in 1948, the … Continue reading The Danger of American Isolationism
BY DEBBIE MOJEKWU “We want to live, we want our peace back and our territory,” says Júnior Hekurari, health leader of the Yanomami people in Roraima state, Brazil.1 Mining has been a culturally accepted practice since prehistoric times, with people seeking invaluable resources, such as gold, in the deepest cores of the earth. However, what … Continue reading The True Cost of Mining in a Changing Climate: The Global Health Crisis in South America’s Yanomami Territory
BY RISHI SHAH In 2024, Earth experienced its hottest year on record, with global temperatures soaring 1.47°C (2.65°F) above pre-industrial revolution levels—an alarming milestone in a trajectory that shows no sign of slowing.1 Extreme heat is now the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States, killing more people annually than hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes combined.2 … Continue reading Cooked: How Extreme Heat Became America’s Deadliest Natural Disaster
BY ANDREA CHOW Joan Didion, a writer and essayist of California notoriety, once wrote that the Santa Ana winds make mechanistic creatures out of all of us. In late fall and early winter, Californians know what it is like to lick our cracked lips, scratch at our wrinkled knuckles, and grip the edges of our … Continue reading Trapped in the Fire: How the Sonoma County Ag Pass Risks Farmworkers’ Lives
BY SEIN LEE On a scorching June afternoon in Oregon in 2021, farmer Sebastian Francisco Perez collapsed while moving irrigation pipes at a plant nursery.1 His coworkers tried desperately to resuscitate him, but it was too late—Perez had died from overheating and dehydration. The nearest hospital was a 30-minute drive away, far too distant to … Continue reading As Levees Collapse, Hospitals Shutter: How Climate Change is Fanning the Flames in Rural Healthcare
BY KAI ELLIS What if the air you breathe, the heat you feel, and the storms you endure were silently increasing your risk of heart disease? Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue—it’s a direct threat to human health, particularly cardiovascular health. Rising global temperatures, worsening air pollution, and more frequent extreme weather … Continue reading Climate Change and Cardiovascular Disease: Uncovering the Growing Threat to Public Health
BY TARA KIM On the outskirts of Lima, Peru's sprawling capital, thousands of homes cling to desert cliffs. They shouldn't be there—these precarious dwellings built hastily with concrete blocks, wood, and even scrap materials, defy both gravity and common sense. Yet, there they are in these “pueblos jóvenes" (young towns), standing as a testament to … Continue reading The Hidden Climate Crisis of Lima’s Hillside Communities: A Journey into Peru’s Climate Vulnerability
BY LILIA POTTER-SCHWARTZ November 23 marked the 90th birthday celebration of leading environmental microbiologist, Dr. Rita Colwell. As we honor Dr. Colwell’s groundbreaking career, we are inspired by and in awe of her public health contributions. Dr. Colwell’s career has spanned scientific leadership, discovery, and advocacy. Throughout her career, Dr. Colwell has connected these three … Continue reading An Inspiration for Young Scientists: Celebrating Dr. Rita Colwell’s 90th Birthday
BY NIRAJ SRIVASTAVA “The smell of death is everywhere,” describes one doctor in Gaza [1]. Children die of malnutrition [2]. Epidemics resurge [3]. Gunshots and missiles barrage hospitals [4]. People undergo amputations without painkillers. Fathers, mothers, and children die silently in blood-stained hospital hallways with no surviving family to comfort them [1]. These are not … Continue reading Invisible War: The Obliteration of Health in Gaza
BY SEBASTIAN A. CORDERO MUNIZ In the Caribbean Sea Southwest of Miami, the island of Puerto Rico lies at the convergence of Latin America and the United States. Despite its uniquely hybrid culture and heritage, beautiful beaches, and close connection to the United States, Puerto Rico faces many long standing challenges. With a bankrupt government, … Continue reading Beyond the Storm: Building Climate Resilient Healthcare in Post-Hurricane Maria Puerto Rico
Yale Global Health Review 