Gunmen kill officer guarding polio workers in Pakistan
The attack occurred on Tuesday in Noshki, a district in Balochistan province, local police official Mohammad Hassan said, adding the polio workers escaped unharmed in the attack.
The female health workers were administering oral polio vaccine drops to children inside a house when the assailants opened fire on the police officer, Abdul Waheed, who died on the way to the hospital, Hassan said.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the assault, but suspicion is likely to fall on separatist groups and Pakistani Taliban that have stepped up attacks on security forces and civilians in recent months.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in separate statements denounced the assault and vowed stern action against those behind the attack, which came a day after Pakistan launched the nationwide campaign to vaccinate 45 million children from polio.
Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where the spread of the wild polio virus has not been stopped, according to the World Health Organisation.
There are ongoing outbreaks of polio linked to the oral vaccine in 10 other countries, mostly in Africa.
Since January, Pakistan has reported 10 polio cases from various parts of the country despite the launch of immunisation drives.
In 2024, the South Asian country witnessed a surge in polio cases, which jumped to 74, though it reported only one polio case in 2021.
Since the 1990s, more than 200 polio workers and the police assigned to protect them have been killed in attacks.
Gunmen have shot and killed a policeman assigned to protect polio workers in southwestern Pakistan before fleeing the scene.
The attack occurred on Tuesday in Noshki, a district in Balochistan province, local police official Mohammad Hassan said, adding the polio workers escaped unharmed in the attack.
The female health workers were administering oral polio vaccine drops to children inside a house when the assailants opened fire on the police officer, Abdul Waheed, who died on the way to the hospital, Hassan said.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the assault, but suspicion is likely to fall on separatist groups and Pakistani Taliban that have stepped up attacks on security forces and civilians in recent months.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in separate statements denounced the assault and vowed stern action against those behind the attack, which came a day after Pakistan launched the nationwide campaign to vaccinate 45 million children from polio.
Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where the spread of the wild polio virus has not been stopped, according to the World Health Organisation.
There are ongoing outbreaks of polio linked to the oral vaccine in 10 other countries, mostly in Africa.
Since January, Pakistan has reported 10 polio cases from various parts of the country despite the launch of immunisation drives.
In 2024, the South Asian country witnessed a surge in polio cases, which jumped to 74, though it reported only one polio case in 2021.
Since the 1990s, more than 200 polio workers and the police assigned to protect them have been killed in attacks.
Gunmen have shot and killed a policeman assigned to protect polio workers in southwestern Pakistan before fleeing the scene.
The attack occurred on Tuesday in Noshki, a district in Balochistan province, local police official Mohammad Hassan said, adding the polio workers escaped unharmed in the attack.
The female health workers were administering oral polio vaccine drops to children inside a house when the assailants opened fire on the police officer, Abdul Waheed, who died on the way to the hospital, Hassan said.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the assault, but suspicion is likely to fall on separatist groups and Pakistani Taliban that have stepped up attacks on security forces and civilians in recent months.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in separate statements denounced the assault and vowed stern action against those behind the attack, which came a day after Pakistan launched the nationwide campaign to vaccinate 45 million children from polio.
Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where the spread of the wild polio virus has not been stopped, according to the World Health Organisation.
There are ongoing outbreaks of polio linked to the oral vaccine in 10 other countries, mostly in Africa.
Since January, Pakistan has reported 10 polio cases from various parts of the country despite the launch of immunisation drives.
In 2024, the South Asian country witnessed a surge in polio cases, which jumped to 74, though it reported only one polio case in 2021.
Since the 1990s, more than 200 polio workers and the police assigned to protect them have been killed in attacks.
Gunmen have shot and killed a policeman assigned to protect polio workers in southwestern Pakistan before fleeing the scene.
The attack occurred on Tuesday in Noshki, a district in Balochistan province, local police official Mohammad Hassan said, adding the polio workers escaped unharmed in the attack.
The female health workers were administering oral polio vaccine drops to children inside a house when the assailants opened fire on the police officer, Abdul Waheed, who died on the way to the hospital, Hassan said.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the assault, but suspicion is likely to fall on separatist groups and Pakistani Taliban that have stepped up attacks on security forces and civilians in recent months.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in separate statements denounced the assault and vowed stern action against those behind the attack, which came a day after Pakistan launched the nationwide campaign to vaccinate 45 million children from polio.
Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where the spread of the wild polio virus has not been stopped, according to the World Health Organisation.
There are ongoing outbreaks of polio linked to the oral vaccine in 10 other countries, mostly in Africa.
Since January, Pakistan has reported 10 polio cases from various parts of the country despite the launch of immunisation drives.
In 2024, the South Asian country witnessed a surge in polio cases, which jumped to 74, though it reported only one polio case in 2021.
Since the 1990s, more than 200 polio workers and the police assigned to protect them have been killed in attacks.
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Hepatitis C is curable. Why are Australians still dying from it?
Every so often, a medical breakthrough reshapes the health landscape and offers new hope. The cure for hepatitis C is one such medical breakthrough - as significant as the discovery of penicillin. It has saved millions around the world from developing severe liver disease and liver cancer by curing their hepatitis C. It is the first ever drug to cure a virus and completely cure a chronic disease, and has been declared an "essential medicine" by the World Health Organisation. It forms the backbone of treatments offered to people living with hepatitis C in Australia today - a painless cure of one tablet per day for up to 12 weeks. It's a simple molecule that blocks the virus from replicating and is very effective, has minimal side effects, and is vastly superior to previous treatments like interferon. Since it became available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2016, 62.9 per cent of all people living in Australia with hepatitis C have received the cure. Yet despite this, about 70,000 Australians still live with hepatitis C. Why, in a country with universal health care and a commitment to disease elimination, are so many people still being left behind? New analysis done by Hepatitis Australia shows that 84 per cent of people now living with hepatitis C no longer inject drugs or contracted the virus in other ways: through blood transfusions before blood screening was introduced in 1990; unsafe tattooing; or medical and dental procedures overseas in countries with less rigorous infection control. In Australia, hepatitis C has primarily been associated with injecting drug use. Significant progress has been made in working with people who inject drugs through community-led outreach, peer programs, and harm reduction services like needle and syringe exchanges. With almost 30 per cent of the prison population injecting while they are incarcerated, prisons are the primary sites of transmission for hepatitis C. Our analysis shows that in NSW, 40 per cent of all hepatitis C retreatments are delivered in prisons, and needle exchange programs are needed to prevent transmission and reinfection. Australia's response to viral hepatitis needs to adapt to the changing nature of the population. While people who inject drugs must always be a priority in our work to eliminate viral hepatitis, a new focus is needed on the many people who might not realise they live with hepatitis C or were told in the past that there was nothing they could do about it. This population is unlikely to be engaged with hepatitis programs offered through drug and alcohol, prisons and homelessness services. And so they go undiagnosed, untreated, and remain at risk of developing serious liver disease. Community hepatitis organisations create stigma-free pathways for people to seek testing and treatment for hepatitis C. When we look at the demographics of this "missing group" of about 59,000 people, they are on average aged 40 to 65, are predominantly male and might have injected drugs, even just once, in their youth or had a tattoo overseas. The research tells us they are hesitant to talk about their life experiences with their regular GP, and this is where community outreach services, like those offered by community hepatitis organisations, become incredibly important. Hepatitis C is a ticking time bomb that slowly damages and inflames the liver, leading to serious liver disease and, potentially, cancer if left untreated. Most people have no symptoms of hepatitis C for many years until their liver is seriously affected. No one should die from a curable disease because of stigma, silence or a missed opportunity. Australia has what it takes to eliminate hepatitis C. We must act with urgency and compassion to make sure no one is left behind. It can be hard to take the first step to getting cured for hepatitis C. That's why we launched HepLink with funding from the Australian government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, a free, confidential service that helps people find hepatitis-friendly doctors in their area - no Medicare card required. If you think you could be at risk or if you tested positive a long time ago and didn't realise there was a simple cure, call HepLink on 1800 437 222 or visit for free, confidential information and support. Every so often, a medical breakthrough reshapes the health landscape and offers new hope. The cure for hepatitis C is one such medical breakthrough - as significant as the discovery of penicillin. It has saved millions around the world from developing severe liver disease and liver cancer by curing their hepatitis C. It is the first ever drug to cure a virus and completely cure a chronic disease, and has been declared an "essential medicine" by the World Health Organisation. It forms the backbone of treatments offered to people living with hepatitis C in Australia today - a painless cure of one tablet per day for up to 12 weeks. It's a simple molecule that blocks the virus from replicating and is very effective, has minimal side effects, and is vastly superior to previous treatments like interferon. Since it became available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2016, 62.9 per cent of all people living in Australia with hepatitis C have received the cure. Yet despite this, about 70,000 Australians still live with hepatitis C. Why, in a country with universal health care and a commitment to disease elimination, are so many people still being left behind? New analysis done by Hepatitis Australia shows that 84 per cent of people now living with hepatitis C no longer inject drugs or contracted the virus in other ways: through blood transfusions before blood screening was introduced in 1990; unsafe tattooing; or medical and dental procedures overseas in countries with less rigorous infection control. In Australia, hepatitis C has primarily been associated with injecting drug use. Significant progress has been made in working with people who inject drugs through community-led outreach, peer programs, and harm reduction services like needle and syringe exchanges. With almost 30 per cent of the prison population injecting while they are incarcerated, prisons are the primary sites of transmission for hepatitis C. Our analysis shows that in NSW, 40 per cent of all hepatitis C retreatments are delivered in prisons, and needle exchange programs are needed to prevent transmission and reinfection. Australia's response to viral hepatitis needs to adapt to the changing nature of the population. While people who inject drugs must always be a priority in our work to eliminate viral hepatitis, a new focus is needed on the many people who might not realise they live with hepatitis C or were told in the past that there was nothing they could do about it. This population is unlikely to be engaged with hepatitis programs offered through drug and alcohol, prisons and homelessness services. And so they go undiagnosed, untreated, and remain at risk of developing serious liver disease. Community hepatitis organisations create stigma-free pathways for people to seek testing and treatment for hepatitis C. When we look at the demographics of this "missing group" of about 59,000 people, they are on average aged 40 to 65, are predominantly male and might have injected drugs, even just once, in their youth or had a tattoo overseas. The research tells us they are hesitant to talk about their life experiences with their regular GP, and this is where community outreach services, like those offered by community hepatitis organisations, become incredibly important. Hepatitis C is a ticking time bomb that slowly damages and inflames the liver, leading to serious liver disease and, potentially, cancer if left untreated. Most people have no symptoms of hepatitis C for many years until their liver is seriously affected. No one should die from a curable disease because of stigma, silence or a missed opportunity. Australia has what it takes to eliminate hepatitis C. We must act with urgency and compassion to make sure no one is left behind. It can be hard to take the first step to getting cured for hepatitis C. That's why we launched HepLink with funding from the Australian government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, a free, confidential service that helps people find hepatitis-friendly doctors in their area - no Medicare card required. If you think you could be at risk or if you tested positive a long time ago and didn't realise there was a simple cure, call HepLink on 1800 437 222 or visit for free, confidential information and support. Every so often, a medical breakthrough reshapes the health landscape and offers new hope. The cure for hepatitis C is one such medical breakthrough - as significant as the discovery of penicillin. It has saved millions around the world from developing severe liver disease and liver cancer by curing their hepatitis C. It is the first ever drug to cure a virus and completely cure a chronic disease, and has been declared an "essential medicine" by the World Health Organisation. It forms the backbone of treatments offered to people living with hepatitis C in Australia today - a painless cure of one tablet per day for up to 12 weeks. It's a simple molecule that blocks the virus from replicating and is very effective, has minimal side effects, and is vastly superior to previous treatments like interferon. Since it became available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2016, 62.9 per cent of all people living in Australia with hepatitis C have received the cure. Yet despite this, about 70,000 Australians still live with hepatitis C. Why, in a country with universal health care and a commitment to disease elimination, are so many people still being left behind? New analysis done by Hepatitis Australia shows that 84 per cent of people now living with hepatitis C no longer inject drugs or contracted the virus in other ways: through blood transfusions before blood screening was introduced in 1990; unsafe tattooing; or medical and dental procedures overseas in countries with less rigorous infection control. In Australia, hepatitis C has primarily been associated with injecting drug use. Significant progress has been made in working with people who inject drugs through community-led outreach, peer programs, and harm reduction services like needle and syringe exchanges. With almost 30 per cent of the prison population injecting while they are incarcerated, prisons are the primary sites of transmission for hepatitis C. Our analysis shows that in NSW, 40 per cent of all hepatitis C retreatments are delivered in prisons, and needle exchange programs are needed to prevent transmission and reinfection. Australia's response to viral hepatitis needs to adapt to the changing nature of the population. While people who inject drugs must always be a priority in our work to eliminate viral hepatitis, a new focus is needed on the many people who might not realise they live with hepatitis C or were told in the past that there was nothing they could do about it. This population is unlikely to be engaged with hepatitis programs offered through drug and alcohol, prisons and homelessness services. And so they go undiagnosed, untreated, and remain at risk of developing serious liver disease. Community hepatitis organisations create stigma-free pathways for people to seek testing and treatment for hepatitis C. When we look at the demographics of this "missing group" of about 59,000 people, they are on average aged 40 to 65, are predominantly male and might have injected drugs, even just once, in their youth or had a tattoo overseas. The research tells us they are hesitant to talk about their life experiences with their regular GP, and this is where community outreach services, like those offered by community hepatitis organisations, become incredibly important. Hepatitis C is a ticking time bomb that slowly damages and inflames the liver, leading to serious liver disease and, potentially, cancer if left untreated. Most people have no symptoms of hepatitis C for many years until their liver is seriously affected. No one should die from a curable disease because of stigma, silence or a missed opportunity. Australia has what it takes to eliminate hepatitis C. We must act with urgency and compassion to make sure no one is left behind. It can be hard to take the first step to getting cured for hepatitis C. That's why we launched HepLink with funding from the Australian government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, a free, confidential service that helps people find hepatitis-friendly doctors in their area - no Medicare card required. If you think you could be at risk or if you tested positive a long time ago and didn't realise there was a simple cure, call HepLink on 1800 437 222 or visit for free, confidential information and support. Every so often, a medical breakthrough reshapes the health landscape and offers new hope. The cure for hepatitis C is one such medical breakthrough - as significant as the discovery of penicillin. It has saved millions around the world from developing severe liver disease and liver cancer by curing their hepatitis C. It is the first ever drug to cure a virus and completely cure a chronic disease, and has been declared an "essential medicine" by the World Health Organisation. It forms the backbone of treatments offered to people living with hepatitis C in Australia today - a painless cure of one tablet per day for up to 12 weeks. It's a simple molecule that blocks the virus from replicating and is very effective, has minimal side effects, and is vastly superior to previous treatments like interferon. Since it became available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2016, 62.9 per cent of all people living in Australia with hepatitis C have received the cure. Yet despite this, about 70,000 Australians still live with hepatitis C. Why, in a country with universal health care and a commitment to disease elimination, are so many people still being left behind? New analysis done by Hepatitis Australia shows that 84 per cent of people now living with hepatitis C no longer inject drugs or contracted the virus in other ways: through blood transfusions before blood screening was introduced in 1990; unsafe tattooing; or medical and dental procedures overseas in countries with less rigorous infection control. In Australia, hepatitis C has primarily been associated with injecting drug use. Significant progress has been made in working with people who inject drugs through community-led outreach, peer programs, and harm reduction services like needle and syringe exchanges. With almost 30 per cent of the prison population injecting while they are incarcerated, prisons are the primary sites of transmission for hepatitis C. Our analysis shows that in NSW, 40 per cent of all hepatitis C retreatments are delivered in prisons, and needle exchange programs are needed to prevent transmission and reinfection. Australia's response to viral hepatitis needs to adapt to the changing nature of the population. While people who inject drugs must always be a priority in our work to eliminate viral hepatitis, a new focus is needed on the many people who might not realise they live with hepatitis C or were told in the past that there was nothing they could do about it. This population is unlikely to be engaged with hepatitis programs offered through drug and alcohol, prisons and homelessness services. And so they go undiagnosed, untreated, and remain at risk of developing serious liver disease. Community hepatitis organisations create stigma-free pathways for people to seek testing and treatment for hepatitis C. When we look at the demographics of this "missing group" of about 59,000 people, they are on average aged 40 to 65, are predominantly male and might have injected drugs, even just once, in their youth or had a tattoo overseas. The research tells us they are hesitant to talk about their life experiences with their regular GP, and this is where community outreach services, like those offered by community hepatitis organisations, become incredibly important. Hepatitis C is a ticking time bomb that slowly damages and inflames the liver, leading to serious liver disease and, potentially, cancer if left untreated. Most people have no symptoms of hepatitis C for many years until their liver is seriously affected. No one should die from a curable disease because of stigma, silence or a missed opportunity. Australia has what it takes to eliminate hepatitis C. We must act with urgency and compassion to make sure no one is left behind. It can be hard to take the first step to getting cured for hepatitis C. That's why we launched HepLink with funding from the Australian government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, a free, confidential service that helps people find hepatitis-friendly doctors in their area - no Medicare card required. If you think you could be at risk or if you tested positive a long time ago and didn't realise there was a simple cure, call HepLink on 1800 437 222 or visit for free, confidential information and support.
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3 days ago
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‘We don't want to': Ten news anchors overcome with emotion
10News+ hosts Amelia Brace and Denham Hitchcock both became visibly emotional during Thursday's episode, following a harrowing report about starvation faced by children in Gaza. The head of the World Health Organisation this week described Gaza as suffering 'man-made mass starvation,' with a quarter of the territory's population now facing famine-like conditions and close to 100,000 women and children are experiencing severe acute malnutrition. 10News+ focused on the toll the crisis was taking on Gaza's children, among them Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq, an 18-month-old child in Gaza City who weighs the same as a three-month-old baby. Both hosts appeared choked up as they back-announced the disturbing report. 'Denham, no matter what side you're on in all this – and I think most people aren't on sides – there is no parent, no person, who can look at those images and think that that's OK,' Brace told her co-host. 'We don't want to show you those pictures, we don't want to have to tell you that story. But as journalists and as humans, we owe it to those kids to do something,' she continued, her voice faltering as she struggled to contain her emotion. Earlier, Brace had introduced the story by acknowledging that it was a topic 'we know you might want to turn away from … but we're asking you to watch, because we all need to know about it.' The hosts explained that the report would focus on the starving children of Gaza: 'Children who have no choice. Who have not picked a side, but who are dying because there is not enough food to keep them alive.' This week, 109 global aid and human rights agencies – including Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam International and Amnesty International – united to sign a letter warning that civilians and their colleagues within Gaza are 'wasting away'. 'As the Israeli government's siege starves the people of Gaza, aid workers are now joining the same food lines, risking being shot just to feed their families,' the statement read. 'With supplies now totally depleted, humanitarian organisations are witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes.' In their statement, the humanitarian organisations said that warehouses with tonnes of supplies were sitting untouched inside and outside Gaza, while people were 'trapped in a cycle of hope and heartbreak, waiting for assistance and ceasefires'. 'It is not just physical torment but psychological. Survival is dangled like a mirage,' they said.
ABC News
4 days ago
- ABC News
Pacific dengue cases highest in a decade: World Health Organization
Dengue cases in the Pacific are at their highest since 2016, with nearly 19,000 people affected, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says. The new figures come as multiple nations in the region grapple with outbreaks and surging case numbers. Just last week, Samoa confirmed a second child with the disease had died this year. Overall, nine dengue-related deaths have been reported across the region. WHO's Pacific technical support director, Dr Mark Jacobs, told Pacific Waves that July regional data showed the number of suspected dengue cases was at 18,766 — the highest since 2016. "We've been seeing a gradual increase in dengue in the Pacific for at least the last couple of decades. But looking at the last 10 years, what we tend to see is peaks in some years and then lower levels in other years," he said. "This year, so far, we're up to two more than 18,000 suspected cases of dengue ... that's the biggest number that we've had certainly in the last 10 years." Of those, 12,040 were laboratory-confirmed cases. Dr Jacobs said the high case numbers were due to a range of factors, including the movement of people between Pacific nations. "The virus that causes dengue fever basically lives in people and lives in mosquitoes. And so for a lot of the … smaller Pacific countries, they haven't got enough people for the virus to keep on circulating all the time. "What tends to happen in those…Pacific countries is if there's an outbreak somewhere else in the Pacific, or somewhere where there's people moving to and from, someone might come into that country from another country [where] they've already been infected … and bring the virus back." Climate change and shifting weather patterns in the region also increased the risk of dengue spread, he said. The lack of understanding around dengue hotspots was another risk factor. "It's actually most common in urban settings and semi-urban settings, so towns and villages where there's quite a few people living. [That's where] the mosquito is very comfortable living — in and around people's houses." A breakdown of the WHO's July data showed that the spread of the disease had been highest in Fiji, with 13,702 suspected cases, followed by Tonga (2,087) and French Polynesia, or Mā'ohi Nui (1,079). The data also showed numbers appeared to have peaked in March. However, in recent months, there has been a resurgence in the spread of the virus. In particular, it was found in previously unaffected nations like American Sāmoa, Nauru and Tuvalu. Dr Jacobs said the four different strains of dengue also added to the challenges around preventing the spread and illness. This was because immunity to dengue was generally dependent on individual strains. "If you've been infected in the past with type one dengue, then you're unlikely to get that sort of dengue again," he said. "But if … a different strain of the dengue virus comes into the country some years later — dengue type two, for instance — then all the people who've been infected with type one before, who've been protected against getting type one again, they could all get type two." Dr Jacobs said that transmission pattern often triggered big outbreaks. It also contributed to more severe illness from dengue. "If somebody's had dengue more than once, in other words, if they've had it with a couple of the different strains a few years apart, they're the people most likely to get really, really severely ill with dengue. "And so we see more of the severe dengue, more complications of dengue in those people." 'About 100 confirmed cases per week' in Samoa In Samoa, the acting director-general of health Tagaloa Dr Robert Thomsen said the government was prioritising mosquito spraying of areas and buildings where people gathered in its response. These included schools and sites like the Victim Support centre and National University of Sāmoa, he said. Tangaloa confirmed the recent dengue-related death was an eight-year-old girl. She died on Sunday, July 13. Misiafa Lene, 12, died in April after contracting dengue. As of July 13, the number of laboratory-confirmed dengue cases in Samoa was 1,276. "For the past three weeks — excluding this week — we've seen an increase of about 100 confirmed cases per week," Tagaloa said. "Our biggest challenge at the moment … is the paediatric age group — children below 15 years of age. [They] appear to be the ones that are mostly affected." RNZ
