{"id":1793,"date":"2023-01-27T15:05:54","date_gmt":"2023-01-27T20:05:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/health\/globalhealth\/?page_id=1793"},"modified":"2026-04-10T12:26:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T16:26:17","slug":"news-and-announcements","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/health\/globalhealth\/news-and-announcements\/","title":{"rendered":"News and Announcements"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Twitter<\/a> | Bluesky<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Past News and Announcements: 2022-23<\/a>, 2023-24<\/a>, 2024-25<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

WINTER TERM 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Professor A.M. Viens<\/a> was appointed as a member of the new Public Health Ethics Advisory Committee of Ontario<\/a> (PHEACO), established at the request of the Ministry of Health<\/a> to provide expert advice to Public Health Ontario<\/a> on ethical issues related to public health, including emergency response, disease surveillance, health promotion and prevention, program implementation, and the equitable distribution of vaccines and antivirals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professors Mary Wiktorowicz<\/a> and A.M. Viens<\/a> attended the final project meeting of the Designing One Health Governance for Antimicrobial Stewardship<\/a> (DESIGN) research project in Paris, where they joined international partners to share findings, reflected on key insights, and discussed next steps for advancing One Health governance approaches to antimicrobial stewardship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professors Benedict Weobong & Godfred Boateng are part of a group calling for a global task force and more equitable evidence beyond Europe\/North America on climate-driven sleep deprivation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Undergraduate student Gordane Calloo<\/a> has been awarded a CIHR Undergraduate Research Student Award. Gordane\u2019s research project is entitled Conceptualizing Racial Anxiety in Healthcare, which will be supervised by Professor A.M. Viens<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PhD student Lathika Laguwaran<\/a> acted as moderator for a webinar on Women, Gender, and the Future of Tobacco Control: Global Perspectives and Policy Action<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Students in our Healthcare Planning for Communities (GH 3740) course, led by Professor Donya Razavi<\/a>, recently visited PEACH (Promoting Education and Community Health)<\/a> to learn how community-led organizations support health & wellbeing in the Jane-Finch community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Post-Doctoral Fellow Dr. Nancy Bedingfield<\/a> & Professor Amrita Daftary<\/a> have published research on quality of life among people affected by TB<\/a> in BMC Global and Public Health<\/a><\/em>, with collaborators at the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation<\/a> at the University of Cape Town<\/a>. This was also featured in YFile<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Godfred Boateng<\/a> gave a talk on Bridging Contexts: Using Machine Learning to Explore Environmental Predictors of Noncommunicable Diseases in Low- & High-Income Settings at the Canadian Global Health Association<\/a>\u2019s Climate Change and Health Webinar Series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Students in our Healthcare Planning for Communities (GH 3740) course, led by Professor Donya Razavi<\/a>, recently visited Sherbourne Health<\/a> for an immersive field experience in community-based healthcare planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fourth year undergraduate student Hanna Lum-Gerry, as part of the Research at York<\/a> program, is working with Tuberculosis (TB) survivors worldwide to develop practical guidance on interviewing people affected by TB. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In a recent feature by Frontiers<\/a><\/em>, Professor Monica Malta<\/a> reflects on LGBTQ+ health, structural violence, and the importance of community-led responses in advancing health equity<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Students in our Healthcare Planning for Communities (GH 3740) course, led by Professor Donya Razavi<\/a>, recently visited the Women's Health in Women's Hands Community Health Centre <\/a> for a field-based learning experience, where they examined how healthcare planning unfolds in the community health sector \u2013 from identifying priority populations to building partnerships, to navigating funding structures, and responding to structural constraints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Amrita Daftary<\/a> delivered a keynote on tuberculosis at McMaster University\u2019s 2026 Global Health Case Competition<\/a>, organized by Medical Innovation & Global Health (MIGH) Graduate Student Association<\/a> and Partners in Health Canada<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Monica Malta<\/a> is leading a BMC Public Health<\/a><\/em> special issue on HIV stigma. This collection invites research examining structural drivers of HIV stigma, health inequities, and evidence-informed<\/a> responses.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Steven Hoffman<\/a> was a co-author on A Rapid Scoping Review of Antibiotic Access and Use Barriers Among Refugee and Migrant Populations<\/a> in Globalization and Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Amrita Daftary<\/a> presented on tuberculosis stigma and lessons learned from HIV at the ITK Best Practices Webinar, hosted by Indigenous Services Canada<\/a> in partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Benedict Weobong<\/a> was recently interviewed by Julie Hard<\/a> on the REEL Health Chat, where they explored some of the biggest challenges and innovations in global mental health.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Kerry Scott<\/a> was a contributor to the new World Health Organization<\/a>\u2019s Global Curriculum Guide for Community Health Workers<\/a>, supporting high-quality education to strengthen primary health care worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SGH undergraduate student Gordane Calloo<\/a> and Professor Godfred Boateng<\/a> were co-authors on the paper Shelter to Survival: Unpacking the Health Impacts of Housing Insecurity Across the Life Course <\/a>, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We are delighted to see our PhD student Rupsha Mutsuddi<\/a> featured in Knowledge Now: Grad Research @ York<\/a>, highlighting graduate scholars engaged in cutting-edge, socially relevant research and its role in shaping future academic and policy leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professors Mathieu Poirier<\/a>, Steven Hoffman<\/a>, A.M. Viens<\/a>, and Mary Wiktorowicz<\/a> were co-authors on Social Science Contributions to the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance<\/a>, published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professors Tarra Penney<\/a>, Mary Wiktorowicz<\/a>, and A.M. Viens<\/a> were co-authors on the paper Exploring Antibiotic Stewardship Interventions within a One Health Context: A Scoping Review<\/a>, published in Frontiers of Public Health<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Mathieu Poirier<\/a> was a co-author on the recent paper COVID-19 Impact on AMR: A Rapid Scoping Review, Equity Analysis and Evidence Gap Map 快播视频<\/a> in BMJ Global Health<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FALL TERM 2025<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Professor Amrita Daftary<\/a> was interviewed by BMC Global and Public Health<\/a> as part of the journal\u2019s work to develop editorial standards for assessing qualitative research studies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Members of the Black Health Alliance<\/a> spoke to Dr. Donya Razavi\u2019s<\/a> Program & Policy Evaluation in Global Health course about the organization\u2019s community-driven work and their applied evaluation supporting the Downtown East Toronto Ontario Health Team<\/a>, focused on examining Black client experience with an interprofessional primary care team and improving access and attachment to comprehensive, team-based primary care for marginalized communities, including Black communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Kerry Scott<\/a> was in Nairobi for Global Digital Health Forum 2025<\/a>, joining colleagues from the UCT School of Public Health<\/a> & Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health<\/a> to present the Evidence for Digital Transformation (EDiT) Consortium\u2019s work over two sessions: \u201cMeasuring What Matters: AI Readiness, Digital Competency & Risk Mitigation for Health Workers\u201d and \u201cImproving Measurement of Gender Equity & Inclusion: Introducing the Digital Access and Use Index\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Amrita Daftary<\/a> was a co-author on the paper Person-Centred Care for People with Tuberculosis-Associated Comorbidities: A Multi-Country Qualitative 快播视频 <\/a>published in BMJ Open<\/a><\/em>. Findings from this study had been integrated into the WHO Framework for Collaborative Action on Tuberculosis and Comorbidities<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Roojin Habibi<\/a> from the University of Ottawa\u2019s Faculty of Law<\/a> was a guest speaker in Professor Donya Razavi<\/a>\u2019s Policy and Program Evaluation in Global Health course. She spoke about the evolution of the International Health Regulations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mark Brender<\/a>, National Director of Partners in Health Canada<\/a>, was a guest speaker in Professor Monica Malta<\/a>\u2019s Agents of Change course. He spoke about pragmatic solidarity and the power of change, including the importance of accompaniment, trust, and  community-led definitions of success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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快播视频 Provost\u2019s Postdoctoral Fellowships for Black and Indigenous Scholars<\/a> has been announced. The School of Global Health welcomes inquiries from prospective postdocs interested in joining our community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Amrita Daftary<\/a> was very busy during the 2025 The Union World Conference on Lung Health<\/a> in Copenhagen, where she gave a plenary, three symposia, one poster presentation, and chaired one session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Mathieu Poirier<\/a> and Post-Doctoral Fellow Dr. Chloe Clifford Astbury<\/a> were co-authors on a paper entitled, Strengthening Governance for Antimicrobial Resistance: A One Health Perspective<\/a>, published in Scientific and Technical Review<\/a><\/em>, the scientific and technical journal of the World Organisation for Animal Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gerrit John-Schuster<\/a>, Chief Editor of BMC Global and Public Health<\/a>, spoke with our PhD students about the publishing process and the journal\u2019s interdisciplinary, author-centred approach to advancing global health research and researcher development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Mathieu Poirier<\/a> was a co-author on a policy brief, Design to Delivery: Structuring IPEA\u2019s Scientific Work to Meet Policy Needs<\/a>, produced by the Global Strategy Lab<\/a> and the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases<\/a>, on the Independent Panel for Evidence for Action against AMR\u2019s founding decisions, their impact on future scientific outputs, and a proposed approach & timeline for structuring its program of work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor A.M. Viens<\/a> gave a guest lecture on public health ethics at Runnymede Collegiate Institute<\/a> as part of the University of Toronto<\/a>\u2019s Dalla Lana School of Public Health Outreach and Access Program<\/a>, a group-mentoring program that supports Black, Indigenous, and other socially diverse youth from underrepresented communities to pursue careers and opportunities in public health and health systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Godfred Boateng<\/a> was a co-author on the Frontiers in Environmental Health<\/a><\/em> editorial Environmental Degradation, Health, and Socioeconomic Impacts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor A.M. Viens<\/a> and Dr. Ahmad Firas Khalid<\/a> (Senior Policy Analyst, Government of Canada; Past Sessional Assistant Professor of Global Health), along with SGH undergraduate students (now alumnae) Clarissa Eggen and Aaranee Sritharan, have authored Using a World Health Assembly Simulation to Explore Undergraduate Students\u2019 Perceptions and Confidence in Analyzing Complex Global Health Challenges: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation<\/a> in PLoS Global Public Health<\/a><\/em>. This was the formal evaluation of our innovative World Health Assembly Simulation<\/a> co-curricular activity, which has now been turned into a course: World Health Assembly Simulation (GH 4220)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Godfred Boateng<\/a> was a co-author on the paper Adaptation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Postpartum Partner Support Scale among Arab Women in the United Arab Emirates<\/a> published in Midwifery<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Mary Wiktorowicz<\/a> was a co-author on a paper entitled Equity in the governance of antimicrobial resistance surveillance: Global experts\u2019 perspectives<\/a> in Social Science & Medicine<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Godfred Boateng<\/a> and his team represented the School of Global Health & the Global & Environmental Health Lab<\/a> at the 2025 American Public Health Association Conference<\/a> in Washington, D.C., presenting six papers on water, food, and energy insecurity, climate-sensitive diseases, and syndemics<\/a>. Among the presenters was global health alumna Ailiya Rizwan<\/a>, co-author on two papers exploring the health and nutritional burdens of energy insecurity in Afro-Colombian households.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Spend a few weeks abroad in the summer with health courses led by School of Global Health faculty. Travel with classmates, earn credits toward your degree, and explore health from a global perspective through an engaging learning experience in Social Determinants of Global Health: Health Equity & Community Storytelling<\/a> (South Africa, May 9-23, 2026, Professor Monica Malta<\/a>), Social Determinants of Global Health: African Health, Culture & Wellbeing<\/a> (Ghana, July 11-25, 2026, Professor Godfred Boateng<\/a>); and Social Determinants of Global Health: Exploring Health and Aging in Costa Rica<\/a> (Costa Rica, August 5-14, 2026, Professor Brad Meisner<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sarah Merghani, a third-year global health undergraduate student, has transformed personal concern into collective action<\/a> by launching the Displacement & Health Relief Network<\/a> (DHRN), a student-led initiative dedicated to advancing humanitarian relief for displaced peoples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After witnessing the realities of mental health care in Ghana, Professor Benedict Weobong<\/a> has dedicated his career to bridging the treatment gap through community-based innovation and global mental health research<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Students in our Promoting Global Health course, led by Professor Amrita Daftary<\/a>, visited the former Mohawk Institute Residential School<\/a>, gaining a sobering perspective on the legacy of residential schools and the resilience of Indigenous communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Great turnout for the School of Global Health at this year\u2019s Canadian Conference on Global Health Conference<\/a>. Our professors (Drs. Godfred Boateng<\/a>, Steven Hoffman<\/a>, Mathieu Poirier<\/a>, and A.M. Viens<\/a>) and student (Lathika Laguwaran<\/a>) shared their research, connected with peers, and showcased the School\u2019s growing impact in global health scholarship & practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Students in the Agents of Change in a Global World course, redesigned this year by Professor Monica Malta<\/a>, transformed the York campus into a living classroom through creative pop-up campaigns addressing global health and social justice issues<\/a> \u2013 demonstrating the School of Global Health\u2019s commitment to experiential learning in action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professors Tarra Penney<\/a> and A.M. Viens<\/a>, Post-Doctoral Fellows Dr. Chloe Clifford Astbury<\/a> and Dr. Kristen Lee<\/a>, and PhD Student Joanne Ong<\/a>, were co-authors on a study examining inconsistent translations of the term One Health<\/a> and its implications for global health. The paper, entitled Globalizing One Health Requires Consistent and Culturally Appropriate Translation of the Term across Languages<\/a>, was published in BioScience<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mark Brender<\/a>, National Director of Partners in Health Canada<\/a>, was a guest speaker in Professor Monica Malta<\/a>\u2019s Agents of Change course. He spoke about pragmatic solidarity and the power of change, including the importance of accompaniment, trust, and  community-led definitions of success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professors Benedict Weobong<\/a> and Godfred Boateng<\/a> will lead the $5.5M HEATSCAPE-Africa project, funded by The Wellcome Trust<\/a>, to study how climate-related heat impacts sleep and mental health across Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PhD student Orit Awoke<\/a> has been named the recipient of the 2025 Harvey Skinner Agents of Change Award. Congrats Orit!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor A.M. Viens<\/a> was a co-author on the paper Whose burden, whose benefit? Revisiting ethical trade-offs in the WHO guidelines on scaling up mass azithromycin administration<\/a> published in PLOS Medicine<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Faculty of Health is looking to appoint a Canada Excellence Research Chair in Population Health and Implementation Science<\/a> \u2013 which can be based in or jointly appointed to the School of Global Health<\/a> (deadline: October 31, 2025). This position will further strengthen the Faculty\u2019s capacity around implementation science, with Professor Kerry Scott<\/a>\u2019s appointment last year as an Assistant Professor in Implementation Science and Knowledge Mobilization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professors Tarra Penney<\/a> and Mary Wiktorowicz<\/a>, along with Post-Doctoral Fellow Chloe Clifford Astbury<\/a> and SGH<\/a> student Arabi Raja, were co-authors on Interconnections between the food system and antimicrobial resistance: A systems-informed umbrella review from a One Health perspective<\/a>, published in One Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Godfred Boateng, along with SGH<\/a> students Ann Kwarteng, Salwa Regragui, and Tricia Tetteh, co-authored a paper \u201cI am a Black man in Canada! I wish I could say differently!\u201d: exploring the impact of direct and indirect encounters with the police and welfare system on anxiety and depression among Black youth in Toronto, Canada<\/a> in Frontiers in Public Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Congratulations to our PhD students \u2013 Michael Davies-Venn, Naeema Hassan, Yvette Nkurunziza, Rupsha Mutsuddi, Babatunde Odugbemi, Joanne Ong, and Kathirvel Soundappan \u2013 who have been awarded Dahdaleh Global Health Graduate Scholarships<\/a> for 2025-26!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Professor Benedict Weobong<\/a> was a panelist at the Fostering Black Scholars Scholarship Success Workshop<\/a>, where he shared his experiences and insights on navigating scholarships and grants as a Black scholar in academia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bhutila Karpoche, former Member of Provincial Parliament, Deputy Speaker for the 43rd Parliament of the Ontario Legislature, and the first person of Tibetan descent ever elected to public office in North America, spoke to Professor A.M. Viens<\/a>\u2019 Global Health Ethics course about her personal & professional journey from studying public health to entering politics and about the political determinants of health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The second edition of the Global Health Alumni Newsletter<\/a> has been published!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Connect with YorkU Health<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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