In communities where trust is built through traditional leadership, public health campaigns often succeed or fail based on who delivers the message.

Here's how one traditional emir is helping drive malaria vaccine uptake in Kebbi state, Nigeria: bit.ly/3O0ieDt

It's easy to talk about pandemic preparedness during a pandemic. It is much harder to keep preparing when the emergency fades from the headlines.

Now that the crisis feels more distant, what lessons have actually stayed with us?

An expert in anticipating crises weighs in: bit.ly/41HUIhP

Behind every scientific breakthrough is another – arguably bigger – challenge: helping the public understand what the discovery means and why it matters.

Here’s why “science communication” is a critical contributor to the success of science as a whole: bit.ly/419O9Ez via @undark

Now entering its home stretch, the Big Catch Up was launched in 2023 to protect millions of kids who missed out on essential vaccines during the pandemic. In the build-up to World Immunization Week later this month, we'll be showcasing the results and impact of this world-first initiative.

In Cameroon’s Far North region, displacement, poverty and insecurity often mean children are left to face life unprotected by vaccines. There, a young doctor is determined to ensure vaccination isn’t treated as a privilege, but as every child’s right.

See his work in action: bit.ly/4uYEcYn

Every vaccine journey starts with a single step.

For #WorldHealthWorkerWeek, join us in honouring the unsung heroes of healthcare who carry lifesaving vaccines to children in all corners of the world. 🌍💉

A few days ago Italy reported the first case of H9N2 bird flu in Europe.

The wider risk to humans is currently low, but a virologist shares what you need to know: bit.ly/4vlYgUT via The Conversation

The heart of the machine: people are the secret ingredient of a high-functioning cold chain We think of the cold chain as hardware: the network of fridges, tools, spare parts and cold-boxes that keep our vaccines safe. But it’s human minds and hands that keep them working.

Without a skilled workforce, the most sophisticated cold chain becomes a useless collection of metal boxes. Here’s how Ethiopia built a skilled, empowered team of 100 cold chain professionals to keep vaccines safe: bit.ly/4bH7WkT via JSI

Infection vs vaccination: which really raises autoimmune disease risk? Some like to blame vaccines for dangerous autoimmune issues, but the evidence is clear: the infections they help prevent are the bigger risk.

In actuality, vaccines give the immune system a "controlled glimpse" of a pathogen without the prolonged infection and inflammation that can push it off course.

The full story: bit.ly/4v0YIHR

For example, the risk of developing Guillain-Barré syndrome is roughly 17 times higher after a flu infection than after a flu vaccination.

Do vaccines cause autoimmune disease?

False claims saying “yes, they do” have circulated for years, but the evidence shows the real danger is the infection itself.

Some of the biggest threats to global health today aren’t new diseases, but old ones, and the misinformation, inequity and access gaps that allow them to persist.

This and more in this week’s Global Health Notes newsletter: bit.ly/4c1GKw5

Meningitis is one of the world's most devastating, yet preventable, infectious diseases. Here’s the current state of the global fight against it: bit.ly/4de13sx

Universal vaccine could protect against flu, COVID-19 and colds, say researchers A new nasal spray vaccine works by prepping the immune system’s broadest defence system against a range of potential new threats.

Early studies of a new nasal spray vaccine suggest it could protect against all respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, influenza and the common cold, as well as bacterial lung infections and even allergies. Here’s what you need to know: bit.ly/4uUlVvh

Baby on board: the female bikers riding for safer childbirth in rural Kenya Mounted on pink motorbikes, the Boda Girls’ mission is getting pregnant women to their hospital appointments on time, and for free.

In rural Kenya, a team of women motorbike riders are giving pregnant women free rides to the hospital to ensure they feel safe and make their appointments on time. Read how Kenya’s “Boda Girls” are boosting the number of safe, skilled hospital deliveries: bit.ly/3NDiJmZ

Some vaccines are only as good as the fridge or cool-boxes they’re kept in. In the world’s most remote regions, the “cold chain” relies on both functional hardware and knowledgeable technicians who keep it all running.

Learn more about these backbones of public health: bit.ly/4uUOw3C via JSI

Bacterial meningitis is deadly, but can also have life‑altering long‑term effects – new study Outbreaks of bacterial meningitis at NZ and UK universities highlight a need for greater understanding and ongoing support for those who survive an infection.

Bacterial meningitis can change a life in a matter of hours. For many who survive, the disease leaves lasting effects that can affect education, communication and daily life.

New research explores what happens after survival: bit.ly/4rWFsZl

The heroes trying to save the lives of others shouldn't have to risk their own to do it.

But in conflict zones, hospitals and health workers are increasingly under threat.

Here's what the laws of war say about protecting hospitals and health workers during conflict: bit.ly/4s2eL5r

A new CDC travel alert is drawing attention to dengue, which can cause debilitating joint pain. But for many countries, dengue isn’t just a travel risk, it’s a constant public health challenge.

Read this story from Nepal, which has faced annual dengue outbreaks since 2004. bit.ly/4t4mvEU

In rural Siaya, Kenya, something simple is changing how mothers access health care and immunisation.

A local foundation trained 38 local women to ride motorbikes, and now they provide pregnant women and mothers with free rides to local health centres.

The full story: bit.ly/3NDiJmZ

There’s a rare measles complication that can affect a person years after a measles infection. It usually starts with mobility issues then progresses to paralysis. Even worse, it’s nearly always fatal.

Here's how to spot it: bit.ly/48708qc via KFFHealthNews

In Kenya, the Ministry of Health is partnering with truck drivers and sex workers to act as the first line of defence. By empowering these "high-mobility" groups with training and reporting tools, the country aims to catch potential cases before they move further inland.

🔗: bit.ly/4uHzTR7

During a 2023 polio outbreak in Zimbabwe, vaccine misinformation spread via WhatsApp groups and threatened to derail the health response.

Sensational disinformation can quickly go viral with the potential to endanger lives.

Here’s how health teams worked to rebuild trust: bit.ly/4d78NfS

New vaccines could help us consign tuberculosis to history: here’s how we can do it This year’s World TB Day theme, “Yes! We can End TB!”, sends a welcome note of optimism that the tide may finally be turning when it comes to tackling the world’s deadliest infectious disease. With…

Yes! We can End TB!”

This #WorldTBDay, our CEO Dr.Sania Nishtar shares a message of profound optimism. After a century of relying on a vaccine that only protects infants, new candidates are showing promise for the populations most affected by TB, adults and adolescents: bit.ly/4szoZvg

#EndTB

Investing in the fight against TB reinforces global health security by strengthening disease surveillance systems and laboratory networks, which are key to protecting against future health threats and antimicrobial resistance. #WorldTBDay

Today is #WorldTBDay. Tuberculosis is the world’s deadliest infectious disease. In 2024, TB killed 1.2 million people. Protecting hard-won gains and future generations demands urgency, innovation and smart investment. Together, we can #DefeatTB. @GlobalFund