New research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) shows how many tropical cities are predicted to warm faster than expected under 2°C of global warming.

Cities are often warmer than rural areas due to a phenomenon known as the urban heat island, which can be influenced by various factors, such as regional climate and vegetation cover. This can lead to increased heat-related health risks for some urban populations.

Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the study combined state-of-the-art climate change projections with machine learning models to show how these urban heat islands can be amplified in many tropical and subtropical cities under climate change - mostly in monsoon regions such as India, China and Western Africa.

The World Health Organization has launched new global guidance calling for mental health and stigma to be treated as a core part of care for people living with neglected tropical diseases.

The Essential care package sets out, for the first time, practical, evidence-based actions to integrate mental health support and stigma reduction into NTD programmes, from community-level support and routine screening to referral pathways and system-wide planning.