Year in Review Health & Medicine

Here’s how public health fared in 2024

Extreme heat and viral outbreaks are among the year’s big public health headlines

A worker unloads cardboard boxes containing medical supplies from a delivery truck in the Democratic Republic of Congo while another worker walks in the foreground.

The World Health Organization delivered to the Democratic Republic of Congo medical supplies in September to help stem the country’s mpox outbreak. The supplies included personal protective equipment and treatments.

© Junior Diatezua/WHO

By Aimee Cunningham

The world faced many public health challenges this year, including dangerous heat waves and outbreaks of the infectious diseases dengue and mpox.