A field worker of the World Health Organization in South Sudan has been shot dead at point blank range in Unity State, a statement by the WHO confirmed on Thursday.
Daniel Deng Galuak was shot dead by an unidentified attacker at a health facility in Bieh Internally Displaced Persons camp in the northern Bentiu city on 19 September 2022.
The motive behind the attack is yet to be established.
WHO expressed its profound shock and outrage over the killing of its polio field surveillance officer.
“We are deeply shocked by Galuak’s death. Our hearts go out to his family at this most difficult and sorrowful time,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
“This attack has robbed a family of a beloved member and WHO of a committed frontline health worker.”
WHO said Galuak’s death is just a huge loss to his family, but also to efforts by the organization and its partners in health emergency response in South Sudan and the important work of protecting children from the debilitating and potentially life-long impacts of polio.
Galuak worked for WHO as a field assistant from 2000 to 2015 and as a field supervisor from 2016.
His responsibilities included ensuring effective polio surveillance, planning and conducting polio supplementary immunization and coordinating routine immunization activities.
WN/as/APA