π The US withdraws from the WHO; The US withdraws from global climate pacts; The US withdraws from facts
#550 | Bacteria to eat forever chemicals; A vision for an Africa without borders; Climate change continues to escalate
Hello, and welcome back to The Kable for a landmark 550th issue. We just wish the news this week were worthy of this number. Not that there wasn't any good news this week. There was.
Like how Afrigen is developing the first mRNA-based vaccine for Rift Valley fever with $6.2 million in funding from CEPI. Afrigen will work with the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) to advance the mRNA candidate through pre-clinical testing and into a Phase I clinical trial in humans.
In some more good news, Georgia became the 45th country to be declared malaria-free by the WHO.
In bad news, Tanzania confirmed this week that the country is indeed seeing an outbreak of Marburg virus. Considering Rwanda's recent success in seeing off an outbreak with minimal casualties, one is hopeful Tanzania will be able to quell this outbreak too.
Considering a whole lot of edicts passed by the new ruling dispensation in the US (more on that below), we may not receive substantial updates on bird flu from that region anymore. However, Moderna did receive $590 million from the US government to accelerate work on its bird flu vaccine.
And finally, in the many rulings passed by the US "government" this week was one asserting only two "sexes" will henceforth be recognised in that country. Unsurprisingly, in its haste to quell any conversation around gender diversity, the ruling got its biology wrong. Well, elect a clown, get a circus.
Stories Of The Week
The World (minus the US) Health Organization. As expected and predicted, one of the first things Donald Trump did on assuming the US presidency is get plans in motion to sever the US' relationship with the WHO. Because "China, blah blah, blah..." The Orange One also exited the Paris climate agreement again. And finally, the week ended with the UN confirming that the US will exit the WHO on January 22, 2026. Will it impact the WHO? Sure, it will. The US has been the agency's largest funder for long. Will the WHO be able to continue functioning? Yes. The agency has already identified plans to trim costs and realign priorities. China has pledged increased support. We're pretty sure Germany will step into the breach as much as possible too. At least until a far-right government steps into office over there. It will be an interesting few months as we watch and see how the WHO and its partners navigate this new reality. And if having the garbage cast out for it is how the agency makes the changes it desperately needs to, well, never too late, we say.
(AP, Reuters, Reuters)
Breakthroughs
Turning pollution into progress. Bacteria might be our new cleanup crew for "forever chemicals," tackling those stubborn PFAS that usually just sit around and refuse to break down. A team led by the University at Buffalo has discovered a soil-dwelling bacterium, Labrys portucalensis F11 (or just F11 for short), that can chomp away at some of the toughest PFAS out there, including PFOSβa super-persistent chemical officially deemed hazardous. In the study, over 100 days, F11 broke down more than 90% of PFOS, as well as decent chunks of two other PFAS types. It even dealt with some of the toxic leftovers from the process, which most studies tend to ignore. The catch? F11 needs a bit of coaxing to speed things up, but the dream is to deploy these microbes in contaminated water or soil someday.
(Science of The Total Environment)
Bottom line
World under siege. A recent report by the World Economic Forum highlights the escalating health crisis driven by climate change, predicting that by 2050, climate-related factors could cause approximately 14.5 million deaths and incur economic losses of around US$12.5 trillion. Floods are identified as the most immediate threat, potentially resulting in 8.5 million fatalities, while droughts and heatwaves are expected to cause 3.2 million deaths and significant economic impacts due to reduced productivity. Vulnerable populations in low-resource countries, particularly in Africa and Asia, are anticipated to suffer the most, facing increased exposure to vector-borne diseases, food insecurity, and water scarcity. What is needed to reverse/defer this eventuality? Substantial investments in health infrastructure and climate resilience. Okay, so we won't reverse it. Fine. We still have 25 years to make merry. Blast some crackers, why don't you?
(WEF)
Long reads
All for Africa. Well, okay, Pan-Africanism isn't everybody's cuppa tea. But in The Conversation, a scholar from the University of Johannesburg puts forth a scenario for an Africa without borders that could thrive forever. Read?
(The Conversation)
Oh, and Gopal Nair doesn't want you to see this.