Our Most-Read Stories of 2021

In 2021, our global response to COVID-19 continued—but so did our ongoing medical care and social support, from Haiti to Peru to Lesotho and beyond.

Amid a year of relentless health and human rights crises, our patients needed us more than ever—and we were there to support them, delivering the compassionate care that has defined our work for more than 30 years.

And as wealthy nations and drugmakers turned their backs on patients dying of COVID-19 without access to lifesaving vaccines, including in the countries where we work, we continued to speak out—demanding that those in power do the right thing and make the vaccines free and accessible for all.

This year on our blog, readers were especially eager to learn about our public health advocacy in the United States and globally, our contact tracing and epidemic intelligence as part of Massachusetts’ COVID-19 response, and our emergency relief work in Haiti.

Below are our 10 most-read stories of 2021, listed by date of publication.

1. Q&A: Why the United States Needs a New Public Health Workforce

PIH and key partners launched a campaign to advocate for the U.S. government to build a larger workforce to help stop COVID-19, strengthen the economy, and build equitable public health systems across the nation. Read more.

2. Black History Month: What PIHers Are Reading, Watching, And Listening To

In honor of Black History Month, PIH staff in the United States shared their favorite songs, books, poems, and movies related to antiracism, Black history, and inequities in public health. Read more.

3. FAQs: COVID-19 Vaccines

PIH clinical leaders and experts answered common questions about COVID-19 vaccines. Read more.

4. Mapping COVID-19: Inside the Epidemic Intelligence Unit

In Massachusetts, outbreak specialists with the Community Tracing Collaborative—a partnership between PIH, the state, and local boards of health—looked to pinpoint the sources of multiple infections, or “clusters”—and use those insights to stop the spread of COVID-19. Read more.

5. Why Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Is Essential

A majority—about 75 percent—of all the vaccines delivered across the globe have been sent to 10 countries: the U.S., China, the U.K, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Russia, Germany, Spain, and Canada. This is not an equitable or ethical approach, which is why PIH is pushing to make sure vaccines are accessible to everyone as soon as possible. Read more.

6. Third Wave of COVID-19 Impacts Countries Around the Globe

COVID-19 is sweeping through many countries where PIH works, proving that the pandemic is far from "over"—especially when so many people lack access to vaccines and proper measures for prevention and care. Read more.

7. Facilities Open, Staff Safe Following Haitian President’s Assassination

More than a week after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, our facilities in Haiti remained open, as they have through years of political and civil unrest. In the following months, Zanmi Lasante—PIH’s sister organization in Haiti—continued operating with added measures to ensure the safety of patients and staff. Read more.

8. Providing High-Quality COVID-19 Care in Haiti, Amid Significant Challenges

Clinicians and staff in Haiti continued to provide testing, isolation and support, and care—including to patients with some of the most severe cases of COVID-19—throughout the pandemic and despite significant challenges. Read more.

9. Anatomy of a Cape Cod Outbreak: How PIH’s Epidemic Intelligence Unit Supported a Major Public Health Investigation

A major COVID-19 cluster in Cape Cod was identified thanks to partnership between Massachusetts health officials and the PIH-supported Epidemic Intelligence Unit, leading to further clarity on the high transmission of the Delta variant and revised CDC guidelines on masking for vaccinated individuals. Read more.

10. Emergency Care Key to Earthquake Response in Haiti

PIH's director of emergency and critical care discussed clinicians’ primary concerns following a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Haiti, how they rapidly responded, and how such tragedies can have a lasting impact—including on those not immediately injured. Read more.