From Ebola to Zika health scare
- By Sajjad Malik
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E-mail China.org.cn, February 5, 2016
Those who are living in the countries where occurrence rate of the infection is higher need to adopt the usual approach to avoiding mosquito bites - wearing clothing that fully covers their arms and legs and using a good mosquito repellant.
Pregnant mothers have been advised to be extremely careful as their babies are very vulnerable to the devastating effects of the virus.
As the WHO and other organizations plan actions to control and ultimately eliminate the threat, there should be special focus on the research to develop vaccines and drugs to tackle its agents. Special target oriented research projects should be encouraged to tackle the spread of the infection on both a short term and long term basis.
International cooperation and coordination is important. Instead of several countries working on identical projects, efforts and expertise should be pooled.
There are reports that it can also spread to Asia. With its teeming populations and lack of resources, most of the region will be at a loss in how to deal with Zika.
Countries like China with essential technical knowledge and matching resources can play a vital role to herald precautionary measures and then institute practical steps in the region to fight the Zika challenge.
The Zika virus, like the previous Ebola emergency, once again spotlights the weaker areas of health services across the world. The world need to come together to face this problem as it is not for any single country or nations to confront it.
Reform of the health system and focus on research will be important to control global outbreaks of deadly and dangerous diseases. Educating the masses about health emergencies due to viral diseases is also important, so that common people in backward countries with low level of education should be prepared in advance to face them.
Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:
http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm
Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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