Child Health

Tonya Allen, President of the McKnight Foundation, alum of the University of Michigan School of Public Health

Resilient Leadership in a Dynamic World

Tonya Allen, BA '94, MPH/MSW '96

From rewriting rules to enabling others to succeed, Tonya Allen thinks leadership is not about an individual person doing a great thing but about an environment where everyone wins. In Detroit and now Minneapolis, Allen keeps putting herself out there so that entire communities can thrive.

Public health worker in Africa distributing vaccines

Is Africa Truly Free of Wild Polio?

Utibe Effiong, MPH ’14 and Uju Okeke

Without a case on the continent for several years, the World Health Organization declared Africa free of wild polio in 2020. But questions remain about the ability to reach remote areas for vaccination programs and for disease surveillance as well as questions around the security of infectious agents held in labs for research.

Graphic showing Benefit–Risk Analysis of Health Benefits versus Excess Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Outbreaks Inevitable as Childhood Vaccination Rates Decrease

Sarah Javaid and Giovanna Buttazzoni

COVID-19 poses unique challenges to vaccination programs, with children around the world going unvaccinated for a variety of reasons. To prevent childhood deaths and disease spread due to decreased vaccination coverage, immunization programs must continue during the pandemic.

Food market in Detroit

Emergency Food Security Funding Must Continue

Alek Ostrander and Carly Truett

The economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risk of the nearly 26 million adults in the US struggling to access and afford food. Federal nutrition assistance programs like SNAP help, but additional assistance is needed for those already receiving maximum benefits. And many of these emergency measures should become permanent.