Why diphtheria is spreading in remote Indigenous communities

About this episode

The episode discusses the resurgence of diphtheria in remote Indigenous communities in Australia and efforts to combat its spread.

Australia is facing the largest outbreak of diphtheria, dubbed a ‘disease of poverty’, in living memory. For decades, the highly contagious and life-threatening bacterial disease was almost eradicated, but now it is spreading in remote Indigenous communities around the country. Nour Haydar speaks with Indigenous affairs correspondent Sarah Collard and Indigenous affairs reporter Douglas Smith on what is being done to stop the spread of the disease

People in this episode

Host: Nour Haydar

Guests: Sarah Collard, Douglas Smith

Topics covered

• diphtheria outbreak
• Indigenous health
• public health
• disease prevention
• Australia

Keywords

• diphtheria
• Indigenous communities
• outbreak
• public health
• Australia
• disease prevention
• healthcare

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Australia, Indigenous communities

Books & works: disease of poverty

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