New Report: Fueling Sickness: The Hidden Health Costs of Fossil Fuel Pollution

💉🛡️ National Influenza Vaccination Week
📅 December 1–7, 2025

Flu season is here, and vaccination remains our best defense. Black communities continue to face higher risks of severe flu illness and complications, making prevention critical for protecting our loved ones.

The National Medical Association encourages everyone, especially older adults, pregnant people, young children, and those with chronic health conditions, to get their annual flu shot.

Here’s how you can take action this week:
✔️ Make a flu vaccination appointment for you & your family
✔️ Encourage patients and community members to stay protected
✔️ Share accurate information to combat misinformation
✔️ Stay home if you’re sick and practice healthy habits

Let’s work together to keep our communities strong, healthy, and flu-free this winter. 🧡💪🏾

#NMA #NIVW2025 #FightFlu #FluShotSavesLives #PublicHealth #HealthEquity #VaccinesWork

Across the country, pastors and ministry teams are navigating a moment where healthcare cuts, rising costs, and shifting benefits are directly impacting the families they serve. Many have shared the same concern: “We need clear guidance and tools we can use right now.”

That’s why the Cost & Coverage Collaborative (an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), the National Medical Association and REACH Beyond Solutions launched Standing in the Gap: Faith Leaders on Navigating Health, Access & Justice, a three-part webinar series specifically for the faith community. The goal is simple: equip leaders and allies of the faith community with the information, practical steps, and resources needed to help their congregations stay informed, covered, and cared for.

WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN THE NEXT CONVERSATION: Healing in Partnership — Faith & Health Collaborations That Work, takes place Monday, December 1 at 7:30 PM ET. This conversation will spotlight faith leaders leading innovative partnerships and community health initiatives as they share what’s working, the lessons they’ve learned, and how their models can serve as blueprints for others addressing their communities’ growing health needs.

Panelists:
Rev. Cynthia Hale - Senior Pastor, Ray of Hope Christian Church
Rev. Danielle Ayers - Pastor of Justice, Friendship-West Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Thompson - Senior Pastor, The Allen Temple Baptist Church

Register today at: https://bit.ly/4p9xETp

❤️‍🩹 December is HIV/AIDS Awareness Month and December 1 is World AIDS Day

HIV continues to disproportionately impact Black communities, not because of behavior, but because of longstanding inequities in access to testing, prevention, and high-quality care.

The National Medical Association stands united in the fight to end the HIV epidemic, advancing health equity, supporting lifesaving treatments, and eliminating stigma that keeps far too many from seeking care.

Throughout this month, and especially on World AIDS Day, we honor those we’ve lost, uplift people living with HIV, and recognize the progress driven by science, advocacy, and community leadership.

Take action. Support health. Spread truth.
✔️ Know your status — get tested
✔️ Learn about PrEP & prevention options
✔️ Encourage treatment engagement + adherence
✔️ Advocate for stigma-free care for all

Together, we can build a future where every community is informed, supported, and thrives. ❤️🏥

#NMA #WorldAIDSDay #HIVAIDSAwarenessMonth #EndTheStigma #KnowYourStatus #HealthEquity #CommunityHealth

Diabetes continues to disproportionately impact Black communities with higher rates of diagnosis, complications, and barriers to care. At the National Medical Association, we are committed to advancing early detection, equitable access to treatment, community education, and research that addresses these disparities head-on.

This month, we encourage you to:
✔️ Know your blood sugar numbers
✔️ Stay active and fuel your body with healthy foods
✔️ Schedule routine check-ups and screenings
✔️ Support loved ones living with diabetes

Together, we can drive change, empower healthier lives, and build a future where every community has the resources needed to thrive. 💪🏾

#NMA #AmericanDiabetesMonth #DiabetesAwareness #HealthEquity #KnowYourNumbers #StopDiabetes #CommunityHealth

🩺🌍 New Report: Fueling Sickness

The National Medical Association joins more than a dozen national health organizations in highlighting Fueling Sickness: The Hidden Health Costs of Fossil Fuel Pollution — a new report exposing how fossil fuels harm health across every stage of life and the entire fuel lifecycle.

This report makes it clear: pollution is a preventable public health crisis. To protect our communities, we must:
✔️ Rapidly transition away from fossil fuels
✔️ Enforce strong safeguards that hold polluters accountable
✔️ Invest in public health infrastructure and clean energy innovation

We encourage our members and partners to learn more and take action.

📘 Read the full report: psr.org/fueling-sickness
📣 Share the toolkit and help spread the word: psr.org/fueling-sickness

Together, we can advocate for clean, healthy air and a safer future for all. 💪🏽🌱

#NMA #PublicHealth #EnvironmentalJustice #HealthEquity #FuelingSickness