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WHO announces next decade’s urgent health challenges: Emory experts aim for solutions

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The World Health Organization (WHO) released 13 urgent, global health challenges for the next decade, reflecting a deep concern that world leaders are failing to invest enough resources in core health priorities and systems.

Emory researchers and faculty members are committed to improving the health of individuals and communities at home and throughout the world. They bring extensive knowledge and thorough research in areas that affect people’s everyday health, as well as emerging threats.  

Emory faculty working at the forefront of the WHO’s list of health challenges from 2020 to 2030 include the following: 

1. Elevating health in the climate debate

  • Noah Scovronick, PhD, assistant professor, Rollins School of Public Health
    • links between human health, climate change and climate policy
  • Stefanie Ebelt, ScD, associate professor, Rollins School of Public Health
    • cardiovascular and respiratory effects of ambient air quality
  • Yang Liu, PhD, associate professor, Rollins School of Public Health
    • general impacts of climate change on human health
    • remote and satellite sensing of climate change and air quality

2. Delivering health in conflict and crisis

  • Soroosh Behshad, MD, MPH, assistant professor, School of Medicine
    • provided eye care for refugees in Jordan
  • Natalie Weil, MD, assistant professor, School of Medicine
    • provided eye care for refugees in Jordan 

3. Making health care fairer

4. Expanding access to medicines

  • Ken Thorpe, PhD, chair, Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health
  • David Howard, PhD, associate professor, Rollins School of Public Health

5. Stopping infectious diseases

HIV

TB

Ebola

  • Colleen Kraft, MD, associate professor, School of Medicine
  • Aneesh Mehta, MD, associate professor, School of Medicine
  • Sharon Vanairsdale, MS, APRN, program director, Emory Serious Communicable Diseases Unit

Hepatitis C

STDs

Measles

Flu

Polio

6. Preparing for epidemics

  • Ruth Berkelman, MD, professor, Rollins School of Public Health, Center for Public Health Preparedness in Rollins
  • Allison Chamberlain, PhD, research assistant professor, Rollins School of Public Health, Center for Public Health Preparedness in Rollins

Mosquito-Borne Virus Infections

Ebola

  • Colleen Kraft, MD, associate professor, School of Medicine
  • Aneesh Mehta, MD, associate professor, School of Medicin
  • Sharon Vanairsdale, MS, APRN, program director, Emory Serious Communicable Diseases Unit

7. Protecting people from dangerous products 

Diet-Related Diseases

Vaping

8. Investing in the people who defend our health

9. Keeping adolescents safe

STDs

Vaping

Mental Health

Substance Abuse

10. Earning public trust

Anti-vaccination

11. Harnessing new technologies

12. Protecting the medicines that protect us

Antibiotic Resistance

13. Keeping health care clean

Emory Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)


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