Lessons Learned From Ebola Should Inform Global Response To Zika Virus

Global Health NOW: Getting Schooled About Zika, Ebola-Style
Sulzhan Bali, Global Governance Futures 2027 fellow, masters candidate in global health at Duke University, and director of production and HR at TWiGH

“…Zika, just like Ebola, is another fervent reminder of the fact that diseases and disease vectors respect no borders. … However, there are other lessons to be learned from Ebola, that if not applied to Zika would render the entire act of declaring the disease a [public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)] futile. … Lesson #1 — Controlling misinformation through a top-down flow of credible information … Lesson #2 — Mitigating the ‘Fearonomic Effect’ … Lesson #3 — Collaboration, Synchronization, and Coordination … Lesson #4 — Engage with the Private Sector … Lesson #5 — Getting the community and traditional community leaders involved … Like Ebola, Zika offers this final, crucial lesson: Neglected tropical diseases are no more just a problem of the developing world…” (2/4).

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