Kits distributed to protect pregnant women against Zika

Panama’s Ministry of Health (MoH) has partnered with the Pan American Social Marketing Organization (Pasmo) to facilitate the campaign “Safe Mom” which aims to delivery 5000 mosquito repellent kits, condoms and information about the Zika Virus to 15 regions in Panama.

The National Director of Health, Itza Barahona de Mosca, said repellents protect pregnant women from mosquito bites, with condoms to avoid obtaining the virus through sexual transmission. While the likelihood of being infected through sexual transmission is low, in several countries the virus has been obtain sexually. This has lead to medical professionals recommending preventative measures like condoms.

From last December, when the outbreak was reported to date,103 samples from pregnant women were analyzed, of which 28 tested positive for the virus. Cases of microcephaly were present in four of the 28 women, however there have been other congenital malformations in infants aside from microcephaly.

So far, there have been eight cases of congenital malformations in Panama, of which three have died and five are receiving care at health facilities in the country.

Panama’s manager of Pasmo, Saratiel Karica, explained that kits to combat the transmission of Zika and increase awareness were acquired through a partnership with Population Services International, a global network of social marketing organizations to which they belong.

Karica said that the information contained in the bags given to them by the MoH, teaches pregnant women how to protect themselves from the mosquito Aedes aegypti, the transmitter of the disease. Additional information was included on how to keep their environment from becoming a breading ground for mosquito larvae in general.

Karica added that Pasmo is working to combat Zika in a number of countries where they have a presence including Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

The deputy director of Health Promotion, Jorge Jesus Rodriguez, explained that given the presence of the disease in the country, we should be more aware and working to prevent the spread of the disease.

MoH reports indicate that since the Zika virus appeared in Panama late last year, 443 cases have been recorded.