Zika risk communication, community engagement focus of new prevention efforts by CDC, CDC Foundation, PAHO in U.S. Territories and the Americas
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provides critical funding for Zika prevention
Educating communities and empowering women on how to prevent Zika virus transmission is the focus of a new collaborative effort by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the CDC Foundation, aimed mainly at pregnant women in U.S. territories and the Americas.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting these efforts, which include a comprehensive health campaign on Zika prevention and surveys on risk perception and knowledge gaps in the Americas, as well as community engagement on mosquito control especially to protect pregnant women from Zika. These initiatives will be funded by a $1.5 million grant to the CDC Foundation and PAHO.
After the virus began circulating in the Americas in 2015, reports of microcephaly and other neurological disorders increased in affected areas. Since then, it has been concluded that Zika infection in pregnancy is a cause of microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects. Zika has also been linked to pregnancy loss and other problems in infants, including eye defects, hearing loss, and impaired growth.
“Pregnant women deserve the best and most relevant information about Zika in order to protect their pregnancies,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “Collaborations such as this one, harnessing the best information and expertise from both CDC and PAHO, can have great impact and save lives.”
“We face a number of large tasks, including the challenge of effectively communicating how to prevent Zika transmission,” said PAHO Director Dr. Carissa F. Etienne. “We welcome these joint efforts that will allow us to develop concrete actions with the communities throughout the Americas to prevent Zika infections and protect those who need it the most.”
As part of this effort, CDC will launch a multimedia campaign that includes public service announcements and print and digital materials, and will hold a series of community engagement events in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. The goal of the campaign is to educate pregnant women and communities about Zika prevention and provide them with the steps they can take to protect themselves from Zika infection, mainly by taking actions to prevent mosquito bites and avoiding potential sexual transmission.
PAHO will help countries in the Americas by implementing country-specific vector control communication strategies to engage individuals and communities in mosquito control campaigns, launching a regional campaign effort against mosquitoes, called Mosquito Awareness Week. PAHO, with support from partners, will also carry out Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice (KAP) surveys in Latin America and the Caribbean to measure risk perceptions and address the knowledge gaps related to Zika. Risk communication strategies with the countries will also be strengthened and operationalized using a PAHO-designed model and training.
“We are grateful to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for coming forward to support this communications campaign around Zika protection,” said Dr. Judith Monroe, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation. “The CDC Foundation is proud to fortify the work of CDC and PAHO to educate and empower women about the Zika virus.”
Claire Greenwell, 404.443.1126, cgreenwell@cdcfoundation.org
About the CDC Foundation
The CDC Foundation advances the mission of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through philanthropy and public-private partnerships that protect the health, safety, and security of America and the world. Established by Congress more than two decades ago, the CDC Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that has launched 800 programs and raised more than $620 million through partnerships with philanthropies, corporations, organizations, and individuals. The CDC Foundation currently manages nearly 300 CDC-led programs in the United States and in 75 countries. For more information, please visit www.cdcfoundation.org.
The CDC Foundation activated its U.S. Emergency Response Fund and Global Disaster Response Fund in February 2016 to further accelerate CDC’s Zika response. Individual or business contributions to the CDC Foundation’s Global Disaster Response Fund and U.S. Emergency Response Fund can be made on the CDC Foundation website (www.cdcfoundation.org/zika-response). To discuss giving opportunities or an in-kind donation, contact Laura Angel at langel@cdcfoundation.org.
About the Pan American Health Organization
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) works with the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of their peoples. Founded in 1902, it is the world's oldest international public health organization. It serves as the regional office for the Americas of WHO and is the specialized health agency of the inter-American system.
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