Eastern Congo faces a worsening Ebola outbreak (Bundibugyo strain, no vaccine) with 904 suspected cases and up to 220 deaths. Violence, displacement, and collapsing health systems, exacerbated by aid cuts and attacks on treatment centers, hinder containment efforts.
A recent poll shows 74% of US midterm voters support funding PEPFAR, an HIV/AIDS initiative. Despite bipartisan popularity and a moral argument for its support, the program faces changes under the Trump administration, with concerns about its future and impact on global health systems.
This opinion piece urges the EU to shift cardiovascular disease policy from late-stage treatment to earlier detection and prevention. It highlights how respiratory infection vaccinations can reduce major cardiac events by over one-third, while early screening for Type 1 diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases could transform outcomes. The author calls for the upcoming Council recommendations on health checks and immunization to include expanded EU vaccination targets and integrated screening, backed by Multiannual Financial Framework funding.
