Winter 2017 Discussions

Wonder what we talk about at HUGHF? Here is a peak into our discussions from this semester.

• Members of HUGHF have discussed how climate change affects global health. Our co-president Charlie Lee’s time in China spurred his interest in the detrimental effects of pollution on respiratory health.
  
  Changing patterns of natural disasters and migration due to global warming also impact global health.
  
  The canceling of a Centers for Disease Control conference about climate change has prompted questions about the future of environmental health research under the Trump administration.   
  
  We encourage high school students interested in global warming and global health to register for our case study Global Health Challenge on April 15.
  
  
• We discussed the discovery of antibiotic-resistant malaria in the UK. In 2015, over 400,000 people died from malaria. Eradication efforts include distributing mosquito nets to prevent transmission and increasing access to treatment. Understanding malaria’s antibiotic resistance will require further research.
  
  
• We discussed this opinion piece calling on the president to support Americans with disabilities. Journalist and disability rights advocate Melissa Blake calls attention to the silencing effect she has experienced due to President Trump’s mockery of a disabled reporter and his administration’s removal of the Disability section from the White House website.
  
  Our group came away from the discussion inspired by Blake’s courage. Blake’s piece also reminded us that improving global health begins with improving local health.