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“Either a Great Story or it Doesn’t Go Well”: Analyst Lists Bryce Underwood on Texas A&M’s Radar Amid Question Marks Over Marcel Reed
Bryce Underwood has had a very underwhelming campaign so far with the Michigan Wolverines, and with head coach Kyle Whittingham putting his faith in Tommy Carr, Underwood’s future is in serious doubt. Analyst Adam Breneman believes Underwood should be on Texas A&M’s radar amid its own quarterback issues with Marcel Reed.
‘I Had to Have Faith’: How a Democrat Defied Long Odds in Mississippi’s Senate Race
Few were paying much attention to Scott Colom for most of his campaign. Then he toppled the Republican incumbent.
Wins by religious Democrats break Republican grip on faith in politics
Wins by a string of openly religious Democratic candidates in last week's midterm elections have broken the Republican stranglehold on integrating faith and politics, a change that could reshape America's…
Wins by religious Democrats break Republican grip on faith in politics
Wins by a string of openly religious Democratic candidates in last week's midterm elections have broken the Republican stranglehold on integrating faith and politics, a change that could reshape Ameri...
Wins By Religious Democrats Break Republican Grip On Faith In Politics
Wins by a string of openly religious Democratic candidates in last week's midterm elections have broken the Republican stranglehold on integrating faith and politics, a change that could reshape America's political landscape for years to come.
Can Hollywood Rediscover the Power of Wholesome Entertainment?
Jeremy Latcham, who is slated to become president and chief creative officer of DC Studios next month, wants to make content for the faith and family audience.
How Islam Helped My Friend Cope With His Declining Health
In the gym, Michael was known for his grueling workouts. When a spinal issue made exercise impossible, he turned to his faith.
Commission Connects Science and Faith
A talk by a Nobel-prize winning physicist and grants for young researchers led at a recent gathering of the Communion's Science Commission.
The Problem of Induction: David Hume Says Science Has a Problem—Does It?
Hume showed we can’t prove the future will resemble the past, and some say that makes science a matter of faith. A physicist argues otherwise: science runs on guessing, testing, and discarding, not on assuming the past repeats. Does Hume’s famous problem really threaten science?
The UnSinkables, celebrating musicians with disabilities, to perform Saturday
Jana Kuhns leaned on her faith and music after a car crash in 2014 left her with a severe traumatic brain injury.
Faith in Manx mental health crisis teams 'lost'
Campaigners and MHK question how the island’s mental health crisis team decides who to help.
‘Prayer could reduce inflammation and stress hormones
Could prayer do more than strengthen our relationship with God? After discovering research suggesting that prayer may help reduce stress and inflammation, Jemimah Wright explores the surprising connection between faith and physical health - and what Jesus taught us about the importance of spending time with God.
As investors ask about GTA 6 and AI, Take-Two CEO once again puts faith in dev creativity, states making hit games "remains the purview of human beings"
"Making a big hit was hard then, and it's hard now, and it's going to be hard in the future," says Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick.
California's fifth consecutive Catholic governor exemplifies the faith's deep roots
Xavier Becerra's recent election as California governor highlights the state's unique blend of Catholicism and progressive politics.
Weaponizing Government Power is a Political Loser
While affordability was listed as the top concern of voters in this year's midterm elections, voters also mobilized in opposition to perceived abuses of power. Our elected officials should be mindful of these specific concerns from voters and act accordingly as they seek to govern.
In Togo, religious leaders reaffirm shared commitment to bringing end to AIDS as a public health threat
A regional, multi-stakeholder dialogue in Lomé, Togo, which concluded 6 November, brought a declaration from representatives of faith-based organizations, religious leaders, people living with HIV and those affected by HIV, civil society, youth, development partners, and government agencies that reaffirmed a shared commitment to ending new HIV infections and bringing an end to AIDS as a public health threat.
“Have Some Faith in Women’s Tennis” – Fans Slam WTA Finals for Keeping Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula & Others Off Main Stadium Court
The 2026 WTA Finals, featuring the top eight WTA players, including Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, is being played at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California this year. However, the venue choice has sparked debate online.
Read Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's note to staff: 'I was unfaithful'
In a note to staff, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said he hopes to earn back the trust of his family and staffers after admitting to an affair.
Nvidia board to investigate CEO over relationship with suspected Chinese spy
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said Sunday he had been unfaithful to his wife, and he apologized to the company and its customers.
England send message with emphatic Australia victory to show faith in Steve Borthwick
England 45-22 Australia: Henry Pollock and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso led the charge as the hosts blew the Wallabies away
Inter Milan vs Como – Match preview and team news
Inter Milan will be hosting Como in their next Serie A encounter at the San Siro on Sunday evening as Cristian Chivu’s men look to climb up the table.Inter Milan vs Como – Match preview and team ...
When Writers Lose Faith in Free Speech
Writers have to maintain an inner distance from external demands, including the demands of politics.
Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona – Predicted lineup and team news
Atletico Madrid and Barcelona will meet in their last La Liga match before the November international break, with both sides chasing first place in the standings.Atletico Madrid come into the game thi...
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool – Match preview and team news
Crystal Palace face Liverpool in their Premier League gameweek 10 fixture on Sunday at Selhurst Park, as Pierre Sage’s men aim for a positive result in their final game before the international brea...
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool – Predicted lineup and team news
Crystal Palace host Liverpool in their Premier League matchday 10 meeting on Sunday at Selhurst Park, with Pierre Sage’s side hoping to end the first part of their season on a better note before the...
Sunderland vs Chelsea – Predicted lineup and team news
Sunderland will welcome Chelsea to the Stadium of Light on Sunday as they attempt to move away from the bottom of the Premier League standings.The Black Cats are currently last in the table with only ...
Liverpool XI vs Crystal Palace – Predicted lineup and team news
Liverpool travel to Selhurst Park looking to respond immediately after suffering back-to-back defeats for the first time this season.Andoni Iraola’s reign at Liverpool has been largely positive, but...
Brighton vs Brentford – Predicted lineup and team news
Brighton & Hove Albion host Brentford at the Amex Stadium looking to maintain an unbeaten home record and close the gap on the Premier League’s top two.Fabian Hurzeler’s side sit third with 19 poi...
NZ election: Can a new government win over disillusioned voters?
Polling shows the mood among Kiwis is low, with faith in politics even lower - with Kiwis deserting the main parties at the polls.
Many Georgians face health care premium sticker shock
For 13 years, hair stylist and salon owner Khadijah Baynes has relied on faith to navigate the ups and downs of entrepreneurship.
'We don't take George Michael seriously enough'
Sathnam Sanghera, from Wolverhampton, says the Faith singer is one of the all-time pop music greats.
Bradley Barcola explains why he left PSG to join Liverpool
Bradley Barcola says it was the “right time” to leave Paris Saint-Germain when he joined Liverpool in the summer transfer window. The Reds shelled out an initial £106 million to sign the winger, ...
Belief in Magic Is Not Disappearing in The Modern World, Study Shows
Science, faith, and ghosts.
Borussia Dortmund vs Elversberg – Match preview and team news
Borussia Dortmund will play their next Bundesliga match against Elversberg on Saturday as they look to continue their unbeaten league streak.Borussia Dortmund vs Elversberg – Match preview and team...
76ers’ LeBron James Flails in Nightmare Return to Cleveland
LeBron James got the chance to return to Cleveland on Friday night, which is usually a special homecoming for the kid from Akron, Ohio who made good for his hometown team. Now playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, James got his usual pregame admiration from the Cleveland faithful, who have long-since forgiven him for “The Decision” […] The post 76ers’ LeBron James Flails in Nightmare Return to Cleveland appeared first on HEAVY.
Frank Lampard fumes over controversial Everton decisions
Frank Lampard criticised three “big decisions” that went against Coventry City in their defeat to Everton on Friday night. The Sky Blues went ahead through Yann Gboho early in the second half at t...
Calling Oregon’s gubernatorial race. Part art, part science: Letter from the Editor
Trust in government and media has eroded in recent years, so we hope sharing information about how we call races helps promotes transparency and helps restore faith in the process.
'I Play Rocky' revisits Stallone's extraordinary rise: 'Amazing things can happen when you have faith'
The story of how Sylvester Stallone went from a struggling, nearly penniless actor to one of Hollywood s biggest stars is a testament to unwavering faith and the life-changing power of having someone
Deschamps ‘not particularly keen’ on Manchester United job
Didier Deschamps is ‘not particularly keen’ on the Manchester United job amid reports the former France manager has been approached about the role.Deschamps is weighing up his options after leavin...
Michelle A. Williams: Rural and religious Americans lost faith in science. We can win them back
“Closing these gaps will take thousands of trusted people, in every community, doing the patient work of listening. That is how public health first earned the public’s trust, and it is how we will reach the Americans who feel left b…
'A true American hero': 'Jimmy' cast honors Jimmy Stewart's faith, military sacrifice at Texas premiere
Hollywood stars, military veterans and family members of legendary actor James Stewart gathered in Fort Worth for the red carpet premiere of Jimmy, a biographical drama celebrating the Oscar winner s
Charles F. Porter, ‘Wendell Scott’ actor and “Finding Faith” producer, dies at 47
The late star battled cancer more than once.
Keith Gaskin: Faith, politics and the trap of moral disqualification
Scroll through social media during any campaign season, and you won’t just see debates over tax rates, health care or foreign policy. You will see sweeping verdicts on souls.
Many Americans have lost faith in science, but we can win them back
In July 2014, a man sick with Ebola flew from Liberia into Lagos, Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest and busiest cities. One imported case in a place like that could
Crystal Palace vs Hoffenheim – Predicted lineup and team news
Crystal Palace will aim to recover from their recent loss to Tottenham as they welcome Hoffenheim to Selhurst Park for Thursday’s Europa League fixture.The Eagles are going through a difficult spell...
Kansas just elected a Democrat. His message to Washington? Be decent
The Methodist pastor who flipped a Republican Senate seat says voters want more than political change. He tells NPR what he heard from Kansans about decency, faith and finding common ground.
Voya Financial Expands its Multiple Employer Solutions as Business Nearly Doubles
WINDSOR, Conn., November 04, 2026--Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA) today announced new capabilities that will expand its Multiple Employer Solutions (MES) business, giving employers, workers and advisors more choice and a simpler experience. Voya’s MES business serves a wide range of organizations, including industry associations, faith-based groups, public sector entities, professional employer organizations and small-to-middle market businesses.
Business Beat : Thurston Woods offers financial incentives to fill multiple positions
STURGIS, MI (WTVB) - Thurston Woods Village, a faith-based retirement community in Sturgis, has launched a maj...
Commentary: Rural and religious Americans lost faith in science. We can win them back
In July 2014, a man sick with Ebola flew from Liberia into Lagos, Nigeria, one of Africa’s largest and busiest cities. One imported case in a place like that could
AFGHS co-signatory countries ask health care users to help fill the financing gap
Hundreds of thousands of Ugandans living with HIV on antiretrovirals could be targeted for user fees or community health insurance schemes requiring modest premium payments, according to the April 2026 version of the country’s America First Global Health Strategy implementation narrative.1 As part of the “sustainable financing for the private not for profit sector” strategy, 491 facilities will be targeted for a phased introduction of user fees and scale up of community health insurance programs.2 In the Ugandan context, PNFP facilities include faith-based hospitals and other health facilities, US missionary organizations and centers of excellence—services that are often co-located at government facilities but run with additional financial and technical resources. 402,000 people—or about 28 percent of the total Ugandan adult PLHIV population on treatment—get ART from the private not for profit sector. The selected facilities provide the majority of ART and prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) services. The plan doesn’t give the total number of clients served by the 491 facilities, so it is not possible to give a precise number. But the majority of 402,000 is a figure in the hundreds of thousands—hence the estimate I’m using.3 The April draft of the Ugandan implementation plan narrative is the only one I’ve been able to review. But the government of Uganda is not alone in turning to health care users to help fill the financing gaps caused by the abrupt withdrawal of US funds. In July 2025, the Government of Liberia introduced user fees for previously free services including “registration, accommodation, patient feeding, hospitalization, and a wide range of surgical and diagnostic procedures.”4 Earlier that year, Liberia rolled out a revolving drug fund designed to stabilize drug supplies by “allowing patients to pay a small fee for standardized, quality medications,” according to a Ministry of Health press release.5 (Both of these approaches had been proposed in the National Health Policy 2022-2031; media coverage explicitly connects the launch with the US foreign aid cuts.) The health financing strategies proposed by Uganda and established in Liberia are qualitatively different from user fees officially adopted by specific health facilities to cover funding shortfalls caused by the new US approach.6 The latter is a stopgap, adhoc change. The former is a national governmental adoption of policies that pass costs on to health care users, despite evidence that such approaches can exacerbate inequities and leave deficits unfilled. Two countries does not make a pattern, but they do point to urgent questions: Have other countries, including Liberia, included user fees or community health insurance schemes in their implementation plans? If so, do any of these narratives have what Uganda’s lacks: a fall-back plan in place in case these strategies for sustainable health systems fail to deliver—as they have before? I wonder if you think about it Subscribe Predictable pitfalls Both community-based health insurance and user fees are as old as the hills. And after decades of people climbing up these hills, duking it out, climbing back down—neither strategy has shown the results the Ugandan implementation plan is counting on. This is, in fact, a hill some folks are willing to die on. (You knew I’d get there, right?) In November 2025, an African-led team of health system experts published a paper directed at low- and middle income country governments trying to figure out how to create self-sustaining health systems. The money wasn’t coming back. It had been more than nine months since the season of freezing, waivering and wood-chippering; two months since AFGHS tumbled into the world touting co-financing requirements and reductions in future US government health aid. Governments were looking for strategies for sustainable, self-financed health systems, the authors wrote. For countries considering user fees and community health insurance to fill the financing gaps, they had a simple message: Don’t. On user fees, the paper states: “Reliance on user fees is ultimately a regressive and inequitable approach. It places a disproportionate burden on the poor and undermines health system goals of equity and financial protection. […] There is overwhelming evidence that user fees mobilise very limited resources for the public health sector, making it an inefficient mechanism for revenue mobilisation.” On community health insurance: “Attempting to shift the burden of funding previously donor-funded services, such as HIV care and management, and TB treatment, onto contributory schemes would exacerbate their fragility and fail to protect the population.”7 The WHO says that community-based health insurance “cannot be expected to provide a major source of funding or coverage,” and noted that most schemes offer only moderate benefit to individuals paying into them, and exclude the poorest segment of the population.8 And yet, the US-Ugandan implementation plan says that community health insurance is “the central pillar of this [PNFP] sustainability strategy” and that this approach that will generate “pre-paid pooled funding at facility and community level [that] improves financial risk protection for households, reduces catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditure, and generates structured, transparent revenue streams that can progressively absorb recurrent costs including health worker salaries.” Unfortunately, Uganda’s own history suggests the pillar might not be able to bear this weight. Ugandans Have Been to this Rodeo Before—and Some Want Their Money Back Uganda introduced its first community health insurance scheme in 1996 with support from international donors.9 Thirty years later, somewhere between 0.2 and 0.3 percent of the population is covered by CHI; just over 1 percent has any kind of health insurance.10 User fees were universally introduced in 1993 as a condition of a World Bank loan.11 They were abandoned in 2001, and in 2004—the year I moved to Uganda to watch the free HIV program get underway—a definitive study found that the fees did not improve health systems and outcomes.12 In 2004, most clinics and hospitals had ‘free’ and ‘fee for service’ options for getting care.13 The fee for service, or “cash and carry” programs had often been established in the years prior to PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. People who could afford to paid for the drugs, often at facilities in the private-not-for-profit (PNFP) sector. When free drugs arrived, some people who’d been paying kept on doing so, perhaps because of shorter wait times, greater confidentiality, convenience or other factors. But in the year that I spent visiting the same clinics around the country week after week—including a “center of excellence” that maintained separate days for cash and carry clients and those accessing free ARVs—lots of people who had been paying tried to switch to the free option. They’d paid because they had no other choice. They’d sold pieces of family land, begged family members for loans, bought pills by the week, and sometimes by the day. Or they were just cash-strapped, like most of us, and wanted the funds for other things. 14 Twenty-two years later, this hasn’t changed. Ugandans pay out of pocket for 30-40 percent of their health care costs, leading one paper to declare that “falling ill is more than a health crisis. It is a financial emergency.”15 One recent study found that up to 48.5 percent of households dealing with tuberculosis sold something, took out a loan or dug into savings to defray the costs of TB care—which is supposed to be universally free.16 The Ugandan implementation plan does anticipate challenges. It proposes a phased approach, with 187 facilities introducing user contribution systems in Year 1, 152 in Year 2, and 153 in Year 3. Willingness to pay and feasibility studies will precede roll out; fees will be tiered by region, and a waiver system is proposed to ensure that no one has to pay who is unable to. Moreover, the plan provides for quarterly reviews of epidemiological data to “ensure that user contributions do not compromise epidemic control gains, ART continuity for the client cohort, TB case management, or PMTCT services.” Alt text: A screenshot of a table included in the implementation plan narrative that is the subject of this stack. It’s got a fetching pink bar at the top. It uses the abbreviation “CHI” which is Community Health Insurance, and FBO which is Faith Based Organizations, and it details the number of facilities that will implement user fees with waivers and community health insurance schemes over the five years of the agreement. As I said in the footnote, this is a super interesting document with a lot of other rich material. Tell me what you see—and what you would have focused on. And if you’ve seen something like this, or anything else that strikes you, in another implementation plan, tell me that too. You can use the Substack message platform or try me on Signal at @endaplague_again.25 (because @mercoonfan was, weirdly, taken). But the plan doesn’t fully explain what will happen if this approach doesn’t work out. Yes, progress will be monitored, and corrective action triggered. However, there is no specified funding replacement if premium and fee revenue prove inadequate. Instead, the authors write, “Currently, COEs serve a total client cohort of over 180,000 across 28 facilities. In the initial years, the U.S. Government (USG) will provide financial support for clients; over time, user fees generated by COEs will become the primary source of funding for sustaining their services.” Failure does not really seem to be an option. Health insurance schemes are more acceptable to the Ugandan population than user fees. Members of Parliament and civil society traveled to Ethiopia to see how that country’s scheme worked. In a follow up report, a veteran civil society group recommended allowing the “health insurance ecosystem to grow organically and [to] keep reviewing the law and regulations as this growth takes root.”17 One study found that more than three-quarters of Ugandans were willing to join a health insurance program.18 However, coverage of community-based health insurance is minimal, as is coverage of any kind of insurance—including private plans.19 A national health insurance scheme bill has been stalled for several years and presently sits with President Yoweri Museveni.20 Community-based health insurance scheme that do exist are expanding in number, but losing enrollees. Between 2022 and 2026, the number of community-based health financing schemes across the country increased by 42 percent, while the number of people enrolled decreased by nearly 11 percent.21 None of this means that community-based health insurance should not happen in Uganda—or that people do not want insurance. It doesn’t even mean that user fees and waivers won’t ever work. But there is highly relevant evidence from Uganda and the surrounding region that it is quite optimistic to describe community health insurance and user fees as central supports for sustainable financing in any sector of the health system. And now for the best-case scenario In the best-case scenario22, the Ugandan approach does exactly what it sets out to do, and so does the Liberian fee structure and revolving pharmacy fund—though I’ve not confirmed that these are in the MoU. In one best-case scenario, Uganda is an outlier, and user fees and community health insurance are not recurrent pillars of self-sustaining financing in other countries’ implementation plans. In another best-case scenario, all countries that include these strategies enjoy success beyond anyone’s evidence-informed wildest dreams: reliable funding generated by health care users fees, great health care outcomes for everyone, no exacerbation of inequities, no crippling household debt. No sold land, repurposed school tuition or high-interest loans. In the best-case scenario, not one of the hundreds of thousands of Ugandans living with HIV receiving antiretrovirals from 491 PNFP facilities misses a refill or leaves care because of user fees or community health insurance premiums. This is the best-case scenario for these people for their own health, and for their families. It is also the best-case scenario if Uganda wants to stay on the path to eliminating HIV as a public health threat. According to the country’s most recent data, 96.5 percent of people living with HIV on antiretrovirals are virologically suppressed. Epidemic control depends ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those individuals are on ART, and 95% of those individuals are virologically suppressed. Uganda is still struggling with the first “95"—a frankly abysmal 85.3 percent. If HIV epidemic control and the attendant prevention of new infections, avoidable suffering and premature death matter, the country cannot afford to lose any clients who are currently in care.23 As I write this a couple hours before the polls close for the US elections in the city I live in, I say with soul-deep sincerity: I am rooting for the best-case scenario. I think it’s safe to say that we all are.24 I think it’s also safe to say that if the US and co-signatory governments have inked plans that lead to successful expansion of community health insurance and strategic use of user fees, we all would like to know, now, so that we don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate when success happens. The implementation plan narratives have to enter the public domain. They are the fullest expression of a strategy co-created by two governments. There are assumptions and details that people living in the US and co-signatory countries need to understand that are not available in the MoUs or, to date, in the Congressional Notifications. Some of these details can help other countries that are, as I write this, still working on implementation plans. Others, like a solid count of how many other countries have plans for expanding user fees or health insurance, are important for regional and global health architecture reform initiatives. No matter how this election night turns out, there will be a slew of new Congressional member orientations, briefings and talking points papers in the next few months. Release of implementation narratives should be a bullet point in every context that AFGHS is discussed. These documents can be redacted so that procurement sensitive information isn’t disclosed. There is much more historical precedent for sharing such documents than there is for relying on user fees to fill health financing gaps. Let’s look at the information together so we can hope for the best and prepare for, you know, the other thing. Alt text: A substack first: a bicep selfie! It’s my arm - peachy-white skin, black shirt (flannel, notch neck, too hot for this appallingly balmy November weather, if you’re wondering) and a sticker that says I VOTED 2026. Beige letters on red for I voted. Beige on blue for 2026. You bet I did.25 In your wildest dreams. Subscribe 1 This is a really, really rich 95 page document. There are fascinating ideas and detailed plans in it. It is all worth reading AND I have, in this post, highlighted an instance of content that could pose challenges and certainly posits success of strategies that haven’t worked before. I would love to hear what readers’ see that’s interesting and should be lifted up as something to check for in other implementation plans. I will also shortly be adding a static page to the substack site where implementation plan documents will live. I will put the url into this footnote and it will also be there on emilybass.substack.com by the end of the week. Uganda Implementation Narrative Section 4 April 22 2026 Draft 1.51MB ∙ PDF file Download Download 2 User fees are costs charged for visits, labs, medicines or other health services, usually at the time they are provided. Community health insurance, or community-based health insurance, is what the World Health Organization calls “micro insurance,” which is health insurance targeted at low-income people. 3 As usual (by which I mean always), please prove me wrong. 4 https://smartnewsliberia.com/liberias-ministry-of-health-announces-2025-hospital-service-fees-for-public-facilities/?utm 5 https://moh.gov.lr/news/2025/grand-cape-mount-leaders-residents-embrace-new-community-pharmacy-program/?utm 6 https://www.christianitytoday.com/2026/09/hiv-usaid-pepfar-africa-foreign-aid-cuts-mission-hospitals/?utm 7 https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/11/e021270 8 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/community-based-health-insurance-CBHI 9 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2827475/ 10 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10861328/#b3-jpmph-23-110 11 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC527704/ 12 Same citation as the footnote 2 - the article is called “Learning from failed health care reform in Uganda.” To which I say: If only. If. Only. 13 There is a whole taxonomy of user fees to be aware of, if not commit to memory. Out of pocket costs are everything that someone pays for themselves. In this Stack, user fees are planned and policy-supported out of pocket costs. There are also out of pocket costs that people pay to buy drugs or receive tests or health care assessments that would be free if the drugs were on the shelves, or the machines or kits were available, or the staff were on site. A user fee is usually designed to be modest, pegged to willingness to pay, and may be waiveable at the point of care for anyone who is unable to do so. The costs for things that would otherwise be free are whatever the market will bear and people either have to pay them or go without. Out of pocket costs for services and stuff that aren’t available in public facilities are different again from bribes or unofficial fees that some health workers may impose, even though most are indefatigable, tireless and tired, and devoted to their clients. 14 For the record—which really is these footnotes—I would give a whole stack of fridge magnets for a systematic analysis of the economic and social impact of the Mass Unemployment Event in AFGHS countries among the very people who used to be able to afford and cover user fees, both for themselves and vast family networks. Locally employed USAID technical staff, house cleaners, caregivers, drivers and technicians were financial anchors for cousins, friends, friends’ children, friends’ childrens’ cousins, teachers, pastors, neighbors and so many other kinds of kin. Aid recipients lost direct funding; many other people who had not been aid recipients, but parts of the elaborate care webs that function as safety nets for so many people, lost crucial support too. And that’s even before we get to the people who worked at the hotels and restaurants and bars where people employed by the US and its implementing partners used to spend disposable income. Those businesses have lost revenue; those folks have lost jobs. It will be some time coming—and someone will have to fund this work—but I do hope it happens. And I hope, as usual, to be proven wrong. 15 https://eprcug.org/blog/how-out-of-pocket-healthcare-costs-keep-driving-ugandans-into-poverty/ 16 Another straight-to-the-point journal article title. Households experiencing catastrophic costs due to tuberculosis in Uganda: magnitude and cost drivers. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32938411 17 https://www.cehurd.org/download/technical-policy-brief-on-community-health-insurance-scheme/?wpdmdl=13661&refresh=6ae9122f5d4ed1793659439 18 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10125197/ 19 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10861328/#b3-jpmph-23-110 20 https://ugandapost.news/uganda-to-make-health-insurance-mandatory-by-2026/ 21 https://shu.org.ug/download/235 22 With a nod, tip of the stack hat, and wag of the Mercoon tail to a deeply valued reader who told me that I have a tendency to speculate about the worst-case scenarios a little too much of the time. 23 https://news.mak.ac.ug/2026/10/uphia-2025-shows-ugandas-hiv-status-awareness-gap-despite-strong-treatment-outcomes/ As you’ll see in the next footnote, I’ve already written a subSubstack on another topic, so I will be brief with regard to the study referenced in this article. The Uganda Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment, or UPHIA, will never happen in this way again. For more than a decade, PHIAs have been supported by the US government as a way to generate accurate estimates of country progress on key HIV indicators. They are a holdover from the PEPFAR program that was laser focused on ensuring US taxpayer dollars subsidized progress in pandemic control. There may be other population-level surveys and the data may even be publicly released, as the entire set of FY2026 MER data have not. But PHIAs will never happen again. If you’re wondering whether the estimates of HIV progress at country level might get less reliable….you’re not alone. 24 Ooh baby, I hate “we” in almost all forms. But sometimes I go there, when I am looking for company, which I am. Because this Stack moves into the somewhat-uncharted territory of assessing what the implementation plan narratives may suggest about co-signatory countries’ roles and responsibilities to the people living within their borders. The MoUs, specimen and data sharing agreements were templates. Countries’ answers fit into pre-specified questions that did not include, “how are you going to fill financing gaps and stabilize your health system as this plan unfolds?” In contrast, the implementation narratives are open form—the product of co-creation between the two governments. Co-creation can mean lots of things, but nothing leads me to believe that implementation plans are ghost-written by the US government, or that contents were imposed by the US counterparts. Instead, I think the parts of the plans that read like country government initiatives are endorsed, if not initiated by, those governments. For instance, the Ugandan implementation plan narrative describes plans for revenue-generation through fees charged for equipment calibration, repair and maintenance provided through Uganda’s National Equipment Calibration Laboratory, and laboratory accreditation through the Uganda National Accreditation Service (UGANAS), targeting private sector, PNFP, research and academic clients. That’s super specific and also quite ambitious. It doesn’t read like an American idea. There’s also a provision for solar panels, and other stuff that feels country owned and driven. This is where it gets interesting. If co-creation is the case, then both the US and co-signatory governments are accountable for the contents and the outcomes. Most discourse about AFGHS to date has focused on the decisions that America has made, or demanded that other countries make. The AFGHS architects have monopolized the hot seat. As they should, in so many ways. America absolutely created the conditions under which countries needed to come up with health financing strategies to fill unanticipated, catastrophic funding gaps. And with not-too-long a lens, we can look back and see that America is also on the hook for its role in the Bretton Woods institutions that made user fees and health system fiscal austerity conditions of loans during the era of structural adjustment. But in the here and now, it is not at all clear to me that the US is requiring Uganda or any other country to implement specific approaches to sustainable financing. Instead, it is as the authors of that paper up in footnote 6 suggest: African governments have agency. As implementation plans roll out—whether or not the narratives are shared—it will be important to understand what this agency looks like and what it means for people, including the poorest of the poor. And it will be important to figure out how to talk about it safely, respectfully and critically in places other than the literal and metaphorical footnotes. 25 This week’s song is “Once upon a time” by the Moody Blues. (I know, this is gonna be a weird, largely banger-free end of 2026 playlist. HMU with requests.) AND please do watch the video and appreciate the truly amazing opening sequence—a drum kit wasteland, a coupla plastic bags, a bit of sand. Sort of like the hill where fiscal austerity policies that put costs on health care users might go to perish. But then there’s a lady with amazing hair. It’s worth it.
OPED-US-FAITH-SCIENCE-COMMENTARY-FILEPIC-GET
Healthcare workers carry on a stretcher a patient suffering from the Ebola virus disease from an ambulance at the Ebola Treatment Center (ETC) in Bunia, Ituri, in the east of
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Faith, politics collide as Oklahoma fails its most vulnerable
Oklahoma's political outcomes contradict the teachings of Jesus regarding the vulnerable.
Faith, politics collide as Oklahoma fails its most vulnerable
Oklahoma's political outcomes contradict the teachings of Jesus regarding the vulnerable.
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Open Thread, Friday, October 31: Happy Halloween!
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Business builder Joe Haddad to headline Ashland University ethics lecture
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From Business to Beluga Whales: Inside Briana Maltez’s Marine Biology Journey
Beneath the hum of filtration pumps and the rhythmic trickle of saltwater tanks, Briana Maltez is completely in her element. The Texas A&M University at Galveston marine biology major is following her lifelong love of animals—and that passion drives her pursuit for a second bachelor’s degree in a field that endlessly ignites her curiosity.As a native of nearby Sugar Land, Maltez did not initially set out toward coastal science. She initially earned a degree in agricultural business through the Texas A&M RELLIS campus in Bryan, but her subconscious fascination with ocean life grew into an unignorable question during her time there: What if? Photo courtesy of Briana MaltezThe query continued to plague her until a turning point came during a Florida trip to near the end of her first degree. Up-close encounters with marine life reignited a childhood dream and shifted her trajectory toward the sea. Yet, stepping into an entirely new field required a leap of faith. Faced with the daunting prospect of starting over, Maltez placed her trust in Texas A&M Galveston as the premier marine biology program in the state. Deciding that she would never feel satisfied unless she tried, she applied—finding the resolve to face the demanding science curriculum head-on.Any lingering doubts vanished during her first semester on the island campus. The close-knit campus environment and small class sizes allowed Maltez to build immediate connections with her professors and peers—a welcoming backdrop where her love for ocean stewardship could truly take root.“I instantly fell in love with the campus and the small classes,” Maltez recalled. “I was like, ‘Yep, I’m so happy I came here.'”Before long, Maltez found a second home inside the university’s Sea Life Facility. Designed to mirror complex, large-scale aquarium infrastructure on a manageable scale, the space offered Maltez a safe training ground to grow familiar with system maintenance and water chemistry under the tutelage of Sea Life Facility Manager Katie St. Clair. While tending to the tanks there, she grew especially fond of watching the facility’s resident clownfish breed and care for their clutches.“Katie definitely wants us to learn, ask questions, and get hands-on experience,” said Maltez. “So, it has been great having her help with getting pre-experience before doing it in the real world.”That hands-on experience quickly sparked a deeper interest in animal husbandry—the daily art of monitoring the animal’s diets, observing their behavior, and maintaining the aquarium’s overall health. Eager to turn those newfound practical skills into technical credentials, Maltez even earned certifications in life support systems and water quality management through Aquatic Animal Life Support Operators courses.Maltez’s passion soon extended beyond campus boundaries. During a summer study abroad program in South Caicos, Turks and Caicos, Maltez immersed herself in underwater field research. In addition to learning about local history and ecotourism impacts, she snorkeled daily, utilizing drones and hydrophones to record underwater bioacoustics and listen to the often-missed crackles of snapping shrimp, fish, and lobster larvae. Maltez at SeaWorld San AntonioPhoto courtesy of Briana Maltez“What you don’t realize is that there’s so many animals around you, but because they sense, you already, they run away,” Maltez explained. “I think that’s really cool to experience, because you don’t even think about that when you travel.”Yet, among all her academic adventures, a week-long course at SeaWorld San Antonio through MARB 302 stands out as a defining milestone. Camping on-site alongside fellow marine biology majors, Maltez gained behind-the-scenes access to professional veterinary and husbandry operations, building lasting friendships and even interacting with penguins in the snow.The undeniable highlight of the trip was face-to-face interaction with beluga whales. Having admired the titanic cetaceans for years, getting to learn directly from their trainers solidified her ultimate aspiration: to care for belugas and contribute to conservation research supporting wild populations in Alaska.“They are one of my favorite animals, and I had heard so much about them,” said Maltez. ”Getting to see them up close was an amazing experience.”When she is not analyzing marine environments, Maltez documents campus life through her camera lens. As a photographer for the Nautilus student newspaper, the Yell Leaders at Midnight Yell, and the Shark Scholars club, she brings the university’s passionate energy into sharp focus. With less than a year remaining until graduation, Maltez looks back on her decision to return to school with gratitude. Taking her journey one day at a time helped her push through demanding coursework, unlocking opportunities she once thought were out of reach. Today, Maltez stands as a compelling example of what happens when passion meets purpose: By trusting her drive and embracing every hands-on experience, she has transformed a second chance at college into an opportunity to dive into a career beneath the waves.
Giancarlo Stanton Gets Negative Update On Yankees Future
The New York Yankees have a lot of major decisions to make, including what to do with aging DH Giancarlo Stanton. History has shown Stanton’s power helping the Yankees thrive and playing a major role in the 2024 MLB World Series appearance. Unfortunately, the aging process has diminished Stanton to see the Yankees losing faith […] The post Giancarlo Stanton Gets Negative Update On Yankees Future appeared first on HEAVY.
Kansas megachurch pastor rejects anti-trans politics
Democrat Adam Hamilton, who is challenging Sen. Roger Marshall, says his faith calls him to love transgender neighbors — and rejects turning them into campaign targets.
Fox News Power Rankings: As Iran looms large, can the GOP keep the faithful?
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Follow the science
By Robert Royal Surveys of young people show that many lose their faith because they believe science has refuted religion. Among many other factors, this error is a major challenge for the Church, one that does not receive nearly the…
Kite appreciates second chance after Exeter return
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2026 Ballon d’Or: The full list of nominees
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Following the Science
Robert Royal: True science and faith complement each other by recognizing higher orders of reality.
Trump escalates rhetoric against El-Sayed as he tries to undermine Democrat in Michigan Senate race
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Carrick ‘not expecting’ Man United crisis talks despite Bournemouth defeat
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Open Thread, Sunday, October 25: How we doing today, folks?
Your daily source for off topic chatter with the MMA Mania faithful.
Amorim eyes raid on Manchester United for £52m defender
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Mateer Manages Himself and Mississippi State in Win
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The Pittsburgh Steelers faithful will have to wait at least one more week for the return of popular inside linebacker […]
Chelsea injury latest as Pedro and Martinez miss Spurs
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