Dan Wakin has joined the New York Times Opinion team full-time as a deputy after providing editing support to the international team and contributing to coverage on topics such as the Israel-Gaza war and developments in the Vatican. With a two-decade career at The Times, including leading the 'Those We’ve Lost' Covid-19 project and working as a deputy editor, Dan brings extensive experience to his new role. He also took a break from journalism to work at the Metropolitan Opera and is a Harvard graduate and an amateur clarinetist.

The article discusses the sale of a powerful antibiotic cocktail, Zimnic AZ, marketed in India by Abbott Laboratories, which is not approved in major markets and lacks central government approval in India. Despite recommendations against its approval due to safety concerns and misuse potential, the drug is sold across India, contributing to antibiotic resistance. The article highlights the disarray in India's health system, with state-level approvals bypassing central regulations, and the widespread use of fixed-dose combination drugs (FDCs) without central approval. It also touches on the global spread of drug-resistant strains and the challenges in regulating drug combinations. The article includes comments from medical experts, pharmaceutical representatives, and government officials, and it reports on the ongoing review of FDCs in New Delhi.

The article discusses the challenges faced by Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza, Tanzania, in providing cancer treatment to patients. Despite having a state-of-the-art oncology wing built in 2014 and receiving donated radiotherapy machines from India, Italy, and the US, the hospital struggles with funding to install and maintain the equipment. The centre, which serves a population of 13 million, is hindered by staff and equipment shortages. Tanzania's healthcare budget falls short of the Abuja declaration's target, and there is a significant shortage of skilled health professionals. The World Health Organization predicts non-communicable diseases will surpass infectious diseases in mortality by 2030. Bugando's oncology ward, established in 2009, has seen a dramatic increase in cancer cases. Factors contributing to the rise include poor health education, environmental changes, high HIV rates, and improved diagnostics. The article also highlights the efforts of organizations like Iccare and Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon in supporting cancer care and the need for government action to sustain and expand these initiatives.

The article discusses the critical situation of fentanyl overdoses in the United States, particularly among African Americans, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC reports a rise in overdose deaths, with fentanyl being the leading cause among black Americans. The crisis is complex, rooted in decades of policy and exacerbated by socioeconomic disparities and racial discrimination. Efforts to improve access to addiction treatment and medications like naloxone, methadone, and buprenorphine are ongoing, but challenges remain, including racial bias in healthcare and economic barriers. The Biden administration is taking steps to address the crisis, but experts argue that more fundamental changes are needed to prevent addiction and overdoses.