Author: Dr. Natasha Sumbal

Member, 12th Cohort, Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program Every outbreak begins as something small. A fever in a village. A cluster of unexplained illnesses in a school. An unusual increase in diarrhoeal disease. A few patients arriving at a hospital with similar symptoms. The difference between a local health event and a public-health crisis often depends on how quickly those signals are recognized, investigated and acted upon. This is where field epidemiology matters. On September 7, the global public-health community observes World Field Epidemiology Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the professionals who work on the front lines of…

In the rush for convenience, we may be losing something far more valuable than the habit of cooking: the habit of being together. There was a time when the kitchen was the busiest room in the house. The kettle was always on. Someone was chopping vegetables, someone was making tea, children were wandering in and out, and grandparents had a story for almost every occasion. By evening, the dining table became the place where the family came together, not because anyone had scheduled a “family meeting”, but simply because that was how life worked. Food brought people together. Today, that…

The World Health Organization’s confirmation that Burundi, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of the Congo and Uganda have interrupted outbreaks of poliovirus type 2 is an important reminder of what determined public-health action can achieve. These countries have demonstrated that even difficult polio outbreaks can be stopped when vaccination, surveillance, laboratories and community engagement work together. For Pakistan, however, the news should produce more than celebration. It should produce urgency. Pakistan remains one of only two countries where wild poliovirus transmission continues. The country has made substantial progress, but the final stage of eradication is proving to be the hardest. WHO…

There is a cruel contradiction at the heart of today’s humanitarian crises: those who enter the most dangerous places to save human lives are increasingly becoming victims themselves. Every day, humanitarian workers walk into places where others are trying to escape. They deliver food to families facing hunger, provide medical care to the wounded, arrange shelter for the displaced and offer protection to people who have lost almost everything. They often work with little recognition and under conditions most of us would find impossible to imagine. Yet humanitarian work is becoming more dangerous. According to figures reported by the United…

Every year, the arrival of the monsoon is welcomed across Pakistan. It cools the intense summer heat, replenishes water reservoirs, and supports agriculture. Yet, alongside these benefits comes a recurring and preventable tragedy: drowning. Flooded streets, overflowing drains, canals, rivers, ponds, and uncovered water tanks become deadly hazards, particularly for children. In many cases, a moment of unsupervised play or an attempt to cross floodwater ends in irreversible loss. These are not unavoidable accidents—they are preventable incidents that demand collective action. According to the World Health Organization, drowning claims more than 300,000 lives globally every year, with young children among…

Every year, World Hepatitis Day reminds us of a silent but preventable public health crisis. Despite remarkable advances in medicine, viral hepatitis continues to claim approximately 1.3 million lives annually, making it one of the world’s leading infectious disease killers. Millions of people remain unaware that they are living with hepatitis B or C, allowing the disease to progress unnoticed while increasing the risk of transmission. The tragedy is not a lack of scientific knowledge but a failure to ensure that knowledge reaches everyone. Effective vaccines exist to prevent hepatitis B, while hepatitis C can now be cured in most…

There are moments in history when a single word changes the course of public discourse. In India, what was intended by many as a derogatory label has instead become a rallying cry. The term “cockroach,” used in reference to unemployed youth, has been reclaimed by a generation unwilling to be defined by insult. Rather than retreating in silence, students and young job seekers have transformed humiliation into resistance, giving rise to what is now popularly known as the Cockroach Movement. At its heart, this movement is not about a name. It is about the frustrations of millions of young Indians…

Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. While floods and heatwaves often dominate headlines, another rapidly growing threat is the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF)—a sudden and devastating release of water from glacial lakes formed by melting glaciers. As global temperatures continue to rise, GLOFs are becoming more frequent, posing serious risks to lives, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure in Pakistan’s northern regions. Pakistan is home to more than 7,000 glaciers, one of the largest concentrations outside the polar regions. These glaciers are a vital source of freshwater, sustaining agriculture, hydropower, and drinking water for…

June 14 is observed worldwide as World Blood Donor Day, a global campaign dedicated to recognizing the selfless contributions of voluntary blood donors and encouraging more people to donate blood regularly. Blood is an essential resource in modern healthcare. It is needed every day to treat patients injured in accidents, mothers experiencing complications during childbirth, individuals undergoing major surgeries, cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, and those living with blood disorders. Despite its vital importance, blood cannot be manufactured in a laboratory. The only source is the generosity of healthy individuals who choose to donate. Medical experts emphasize that a single blood…

Some football matches are remembered because of the final score. Others are remembered because they remind us why we fell in love with the game in the first place. The recent clash between Syria and Argentina was one of those matches. No one doubts Argentina’s greatness. They are world champions, filled with exceptional talent and a proud footballing history. But this time, many fans were left talking about Syria. They may not have walked away with the result, but they walked away with something just as meaningful, the respect of millions. The Syrian players fought for every ball as if…