Anant Bhan

‘Invasive’ AI-led mass surveillance in Africa violating freedoms, warn experts Countries across the continent have spent more than $2bn on Chinese tracking technology that is not ‘necessary or proportionate’, new report finds

‘Invasive’ AI-led mass surveillance in Africa violating freedoms, warn experts
Countries across the continent have spent more than $2bn on Chinese tracking technology that is not ‘necessary or proportionate’, new report finds
www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

'The central question is not only what AI can do, but what Africa should demand of it.'
Artificial intelligence anchored in African intelligence: toward equitable mental health systems in Africahttps://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanafr/article/PIIS3050-5011(25)00006-9/fulltext

🆕 Will the #SocialMediaBan in Australia disrupt researchers' ability to #recruit adolescents under 16?

This week, another paper explains the implications for recruitment feasibility. Researchers might expect selection bias, increased recruitment via caretakers & higher cost.

🔗 tinyurl.com/59n4m6vt

We kicked off Day 4 of Reimagining Global Health with @anantbhan.bsky.social speaking on Global Health Ethics - highly relevant as we face ethical failures in global health. Powerful talk to start the day!
@madhupai.bsky.social
@mcgillghp.bsky.social

Day 4 of our Reimagining Gloibal Health course was powerfully emotive and impactful!
🙏 to @anantbhan.bsky.social @luchuobain.bsky.social Lioba Hirsch, @ananyatb.bsky.social and Grace Umutesi for their meaningful talks!

And here is the Day 4 snapshot.
@madhupai.bsky.social
@mcgillghp.bsky.social

Our latest publication in JMIR Formative Research
As part of the SHARP consortium (2021–ongoing), our 8th paper explores patterns of suicidal ideation among individuals living with schizophrenia in real-world outpatient settings in Bhopal & Bengaluru, India
formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e67745

An Oral-B login screen.

I have been logged out of my toothbrush.

Harvard president receives standing ovation during commencement.

US health body halts renewal, issuance of subawards to Foreign entities: NIH-funded research projects feel grants heat NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya said "NIH will finalise the implementation of the new award structure no later than September 30"

Quoted in this Indian Express article by Anuradha Mascarenhas
who covers the worrying impact of NIH policy changes on research studies in India
US health body halts renewal, issuance of subawards to Foreign entities: NIH-funded research projects feel grants heat
indianexpress.com/article/indi...

#InternationalClinicalTrialsDay
SPIRIT 2025 statement: updated guideline for protocols of randomised trials
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Advancing health-care equity for autistic people: mental health as a key priority Autistic people make up a substantial proportion of society, with global prevalence estimated at around 1%.1 This amounts to approximately 80 million people worldwide, with the majority living in low-...

Autistic people make up a substantial proportion of society, with global prevalence estd ~1%. This amounts to ~80Million worldwide, with majority living in LMICs
Advancing health-care equity for autistic people: mental health as a key priority- The Lancet
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Accelerating vaccine development in Africa: lessons from HIV research Africa bears a disproportionate infectious disease burden, with HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria posing ongoing threats alongside recurrent outbreaks of mpox, Ebola virus disease, and Lassa fever. These...

Accelerating vaccine development in Africa: lessons from HIV research - The Lancet www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Opportunities for chronic pain self-management: core psychological principles and neurobiological underpinnings One in five of the population lives with chronic pain. Psychological interventions for pain reveal core principles that can be used to create opportunities for chronic pain self-management in primary ...

Opportunities for chronic pain self-management: core psychological principles and neurobiological underpinnings - The Lancet www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Personalised CRISPR therapy: Could it transform treatment of genetic disease? An infant with a rare genetic condition made headlines last week after successfully receiving personalised CRISPR therapy. Jacqui Wise summarises what we know so far about the breakthrough US doctors...

Personalised CRISPR therapy: Could it transform treatment of genetic disease?
www.bmj.com/content/389/...

Understanding research on artificial intelligence in healthcare With many hopeful that new artificial intelligence (AI) computer systems might be coming to rescue healthcare from its many challenges, it might also be helpful for frontline clinicians to take a step...

Understanding research on artificial intelligence in healthcare bmjmedicine.bmj.com/content/4/1/...

Vikram Patel writes in the Indian Express on how the new US funding policy (including NIH) changes are an opportunity for India to further invest in high quality science & consider supporting Indian scientific institutions & projects impacted by the funding freeze
indianexpress.com/article/opin...

New publication @plosglobalpublichealth.org
First of its kind Qualitative study of acceptability, benefits, and feasibility of a food-based intervention among participants and stakeholders of the RATIONS trial
#TB #nutrition
journals.plos.org/globalpublic...

The webinar was part of a series featured on the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) platform, aligning with the GPHW 2025 theme: "Redefining Equity: Decolonizing Public Health for a Healthier World."

As part of the Global Public Health Week (GPHW) 2025, colleagues at Parul School of Public Health, Parul University
,Vadodara, India, asked me to speak in a webinar on the topic "Bridging the Gap: Culturally Responsive Mental Health Interventions" on 08th April 2025.

Inside arXiv—the Most Transformative Platform in All of Science Modern science wouldn’t exist without the online research repository known as arXiv. Three decades in, its creator still can’t let it go.

"The biggest mystery is not why #arXiv succeeded. Rather, it’s how it wasn’t killed by vested interests intent on protecting traditional #AcademicPublishing."

Very interesting interview profile of Paul Ginsparg in WIRED narrating the history of arXiv:
www.wired.com/story/inside...

#WeekendRead

A randomized trial of the Western diet vs African heritage diet finds the former is pro-inflammatory, leads to impaired immune response to microbial stimulation, and changes are persistent for weeks after a short duration
@naturemedicine.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Evidence-informed policy-making: a glossary of key terms. World Health Organization. Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. iris.who.int/handle/10665...

Women are woefully under-researched—the Message project aims to redress the balance
www.bmj.com/content/388/...

How can I support a neurodivergent colleague? There are ways to make workplaces feel more inclusive for neurodivergent colleagues, Abi Rimmer hears Catriona McVey, final year medical student, says, “Neurodivergent colleagues often bring unique strengths—such as attention to detail and deep focus in specialised areas—but they can also face additional challenges and barriers to success. “Work with them to identify what they personally find difficult, and explore what accommodations can be made at work. Neurodiversity is a spectrum and something that helps an autistic colleague may not be useful for a colleague with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Likewise, some people with ADHD might prefer to work alone when they need to concentrate, whereas others find they’re more productive when they can ‘body double’ by working alongside colleagues. “Culture is an important part of supporting neurodivergent colleagues. Neurodivergent problem solving can be unconventional, but still effective. As long as professional standards are met, focus on outcomes rather than rigid processes by being open to different approaches and communication styles. Lack of eye contact or a monotone voice doesn’t necessarily indicate disinterest, a lack of engagement, or rudeness. Being clear and precise, and avoiding ambiguity when communicating, can also be helpful. “Our colleagues need to feel safe to disclose their neurodivergence and ask for support without fear of judgment or exclusion. Many will mask their neurodivergent traits by mirroring the behaviour of neurotypical peers. Masking increases the risk of poor performance, burnout, and mental illness. They are unlikely to feel safe to unmask and be themselves at work if they are fearful of discrimination, stigma, and a lack of support. “We can also make our workplaces more supportive by challenging any misconceptions, biases, or discrimination we come across. For many, neurodivergence meets the legal definition of a disability. If we challenge ‘banter’ at work about other protected characteristics, we …

How can I support a neurodivergent colleague?
www.bmj.com/content/388/...

Ethical challenges in cancer registries: public benefits and patient rights Population-based cancer registries are the benchmark for assessing a country's cancer burden.1 Cancer registries across the globe play a crucial role in providing valuable data1 for monitoring inciden...

Ethical challenges in cancer registries: public benefits and patient rights - The Lancet www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

India reports its second human bird flu death, in Andhra Pradesh
A two-year-old girl from Narasaraopet in Andhra Pradesh's Palnadu district succumbed to the H5N1 virus after consuming raw chicken.
thesouthfirst.com/andhraprades...

The World Health Organization building

The World Health Organization will slash its budget for 2026-27 by more than a fifth after the US withdrew, and other nations reduced, its funding.

WHO reportedly plans to cut back the scale of its projects and workforce to tackle a funding gap of nearly $600m this year
www.bmj.com/content/389/...

IIMA-CMHS Panel Discussion on "Containing Corona: Designing and Thinking About India’s Response” YouTube video by INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AHMEDABAD - IIMA

Panel discussion recording here: www.youtube.com/live/5VPqwB0...

We had an insightful discussion,& while we ideated on possibilities, it was difficult to predict how things would pan out over the next many months.This ended up being the first of the deluge then of discussions and panels, most of which of course shifted online (Zoomitis was a parallel phenomenon)