The Conversation | National Cancer Institute/Unsplash
The same pattern appears repeatedly in public health. Disease control is not a one-off achievement. It depends on maintaining the systems that keep transmission low.
Vaccination remains one of the most effective public health measures ever developed. But vaccines work best alongside strong surveillance systems, rapid public health responses, accessible to primary care (such as GPs or via Aboriginal-led health clinics), safe housing and sanitation. When those protections weaken, diseases that once seemed distant can return surprisingly quickly.