Takeaway
Funding cuts and disease resurgence demand immediate action: work to expand vaccination in the communities you serve. This protects vulnerable patients and preserves hard-won gains.
Creative Arts in Medicine | February 5, 2026 | 1 min read
By John DeCarlo, PhD, Hofstra University
Must we wait to witness, firsthand—a diaspora
of malaria, measles, choler, polio, TB, and HIV—
to realize that the principle “Do No Harm”
is a principal investment for all?
What has happened to the financial
scripture of cost-benefit analysis and
the prophet-able merit of early
detection and prevention?
Dark clouds on the horizon
To keep our eyes on . . .
Healthcare professionals are both frightened and disheartened to witness decades of advances in preventing and controlling global disease patterns, suddenly reversed for the worse. In fact, public health disasters are imminent, if not already trending since the termination of USAID.
To engage in global cost cutting measures is both shortsighted and unethical, in respect to their medical, economic, and political implications. In contrast, such principal investments reap untold and immeasurable benefits for all residents of the global community.
Strict adherence to the Hippocratic Oath on a patient-to-patient basis in our local hospitals and clinics is a win-win. Like a nearly extinguished fire’s dependence on oxygen to survive and spread, illness and disease quickly metabolize and metastasize when not properly treated and contained. Restoration of international AID restores all of us.
Practical steps healthcare professionals can take to mitigate this trend:
1. Maintain and expand immunization.
Organize vaccine clinics in the community you serve. Also partner with community health workers, faith-based, and local organizations to deliver vaccine education.
2. Report promptly.
Report notifiable diseases and contribute to local dashboards/registries to spot trends early.
3. Use telehealth pragmatically.
Simple phone/video check-ins with patients can extend reach without heavy infrastructure.
4. Counter health misinformation.
Use clear messaging to counter health misinformation with patients and the community you serve.
5. Attend to equity.
Offer services at flexible hours, and engage migrants, rural residents, and other underserved groups with tailored outreach.
These steps focus on practical, clinical, and public health measures that can counter setbacks, protect vulnerable populations, and preserve hard-won gains.
This piece expresses the views solely of the author. It does not necessarily represent the views of any organization, including Johns Hopkins Medicine.