Dr. Reddy’s generic twice-yearly lenacapavir received FDA tentative approval for HIV PrEP. It is expected to cost $40 a year in 120 llow- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with first supplies due b...

Harvard Learn, Engage, Advance, Disrupt “LEAD” Fellowship for Promoting Women in Global Health To equip and empower more leaders in global health, the Harvard Global Health Institute, in collaboration...

In recent decades, rapid urbanization in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has significantly affected agrifood systems and agricultural development. Innovations in transportation, storage, and ...

An international team led by Northumbria University has developed and validated a simple five-factor risk score to identify older people at elevated risk of dementia in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)—where around 60% of the world's dementia cases now occur.

An international team led by Northumbria University has developed and validated a simple five-factor risk score to identify older people at elevated risk of dementia in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) - where around 60% of the world's dementia cases now occur. More people living with dementia are in these countries than anywhere else, yet almost none of the tools used to predict who is at risk were built for them. A Northumbria-led international research team has set out to close that gap with a new risk score, built from five everyday factors, designed specifically for LMICs. The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) using UK international development funding from the UK Government to support global health research, with additional support from Dementia Australia. Dementia affects more than 57 million people worldwide, and around 60% of those people live in LMICs across Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and Africa. Existing prediction tools were developed using data from high-income countries (HIC) and have been shown to transfer poorly to other settings, leaving researchers in LMICs without a reliable way to identify who is at higher risk. Using...

An international team led by Northumbria University has developed and validated a simple five-factor risk score to identify older people at elevated risk of dementia in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)—where around 60% of the world's dementia cases now occur.

25-26 November 2026

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) are frequently linked with healthcare settings, but specific factors associated with colonization within healthcare settings in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remain poorly understood. This study explores risk factors for ARB colonization among hospitalized patients in Bangladesh, where 82% were colonized with extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacterales (ESCrE), 37% with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), and 21% with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).MethodsHospitalized adults from 3 hospitals in Dhaka completed interviews and underwent chart review to assess healthcare exposures. We used bivariate analyses, random forest variable selection, and multivariate logistic regression to identify factors associated with ESCrE, CRE, and MRSA colonization.ResultsESCrE colonization was associated with admission to a non-medical ward (aOR 2.16–8.57, 95% CI 1.14, 64.4) and hospitalization ≥ 3 days before specimen collection (aOR 1.74, 95% CI 1.13, 2.69) while being inversely associated with age (≥45 years, aOR 0.54–0.58, 95% CI .29, .99) and carbapenem use (aOR 0.02, 95% CI < .01, .14). CRE colonization was associated with hospitalization ≥ 3 days before specimen collection (aOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.08, 2.23), third-generation cephalosporin use (aOR 2.93, 95% CI 2.02, 4.23), and other beta-lactam use (aOR 4.83, 95% CI 2.65, 8.81). MRSA colonization was inversely associated with third-generation cephalosporin use (OR 0.60, 95% CI .38, .95).ConclusionsAntibiotic use, duration of hospitalization, age, and ward type were associated with ARB colonization among hospitalized patients. Further investigations into antibiotic use patterns and infection prevention and control practices may identify modifiable risk factors to reduce ARB in healthcare settings in LMICs.

Stewardship is built around a simple principle: Give the right antibiotic, to the right patient, at the right dose, for the right duration. What happens when the “right” antibiotic is not on the shelf...

Abstract. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health threat, with the greatest burden falling on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) also

Aluminum (Al) consumer cookware remains a cornerstone of global food preparation due to its exceptional thermal efficiency and low cost. However, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the widespread reliance on low-purity, informally recycled artisanal alloys creates severe public health risks due to heavy metal migration into dietary pathways. This review explicitly links materials engineering for sustainable development with global safety frameworks by evaluating surface modification technologies designed to mitigate aluminum ion leaching under aggressive thermal and chemical cooking conditions. This review systematically synthesizes the thermodynamic, kinetic, and mechanical performance of three dominant protective systems: electrochemical anodization, sol-gel quasi-ceramic matrices, and fluoropolymer barriers. The chemical stability of these systems is analyzed using mass transport models, chelation-assisted coordination mechanics, and the Arrhenius activation energy framework. Furthermore, a sequential technical characterization workflow is established—linking Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDX), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)—to evaluate barrier performance against the strict specific migration limits (SML) enforced by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While hard anodization and ceramic coatings offer excellent thermal stability, their long-term barrier performance is often compromised by interfacial shear stresses driven by mismatched coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) and mechanical wear. This issue is particularly severe in informal metallurgical sectors. Artisanal castings feature high structural porosity and iron/copper micro-impurities that create localized galvanic micro-cells (Δ E > 1.0 V), accelerating the breakdown of surface oxide barriers and leading to heavy metal migration that routinely exceeds international safety standards by factors of 10 to 50. Critical commercial research gaps are identified, specifically the development of cost-effective, bio-based non-stick barriers (e.g., cross-linked green nanocomposites) and the implementation of decentralized circular economy scrap-sorting upgrades. Resolving these material vulnerabilities is essential for advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals related to good health and well-being (SDG 3), clean manufacturing (SDG 9), and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). This work provides a clear roadmap for scalable, non-hazardous cookware manufacturing tailored for vulnerable populations.

Cancer, particularly breast and cervical cancers, is a global health concern, mainly affecting Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). This highlights a rising burden on people, families, and healthcare systems. This scoping review aims to identify both the direct costs and the indirect costs associated with cervical and breast cancer treatment. Additionally, it seeks financial barriers and enablers to access breast and cervical cancer treatment in South Asia. Using the methodology developed by “Arksey and O'Malley” and “Levac et al.”, we searched multiple electronic databases to identify relevant records.

Download the paper. The Consumer Goods Forum’s (CGF) Plastic Waste Coalition of Action has today released a paper showing how packaging design changes can improve recycling outcomes, reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in the environment and raise living standards for sector workers in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Aluminum (Al) consumer cookware remains a cornerstone of global food preparation due to its exceptional thermal efficiency and low cost. However, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the widespread reliance on low-purity, informally recycled artisanal alloys creates severe public health risks due to heavy metal migration into dietary pathways. This review explicitly links materials engineering for sustainable development with global safety frameworks by evaluating surface modification technologies designed to mitigate aluminum ion leaching under aggressive thermal and chemical cooking conditions. This review systematically synthesizes the thermodynamic, kinetic, and mechanical performance of three dominant protective systems: electrochemical anodization, sol-gel quasi-ceramic matrices, and fluoropolymer barriers. The chemical stability of these systems is analyzed using mass transport models, chelation-assisted coordination mechanics, and the Arrhenius activation energy framework. Furthermore, a sequential technical characterization workflow is established—linking Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDX), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)—to evaluate barrier performance against the strict specific migration limits (SML) enforced by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While hard anodization and ceramic coatings offer excellent thermal stability, their long-term barrier performance is often compromised by interfacial shear stresses driven by mismatched coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) and mechanical wear. This issue is particularly severe in informal metallurgical sectors. Artisanal castings feature high structural porosity and iron/copper micro-impurities that create localized galvanic micro-cells (Δ E > 1.0 V), accelerating the breakdown of surface oxide barriers and leading to heavy metal migration that routinely exceeds international safety standards by factors of 10 to 50. Critical commercial research gaps are identified, specifically the development of cost-effective, bio-based non-stick barriers (e.g., cross-linked green nanocomposites) and the implementation of decentralized circular economy scrap-sorting upgrades. Resolving these material vulnerabilities is essential for advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals related to good health and well-being (SDG 3), clean manufacturing (SDG 9), and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). This work provides a clear roadmap for scalable, non-hazardous cookware manufacturing tailored for vulnerable populations.