RISK OF CONTRACTING EBOLA AND THE GLOBAL ZIKA VIRUS THREAT ARE PUTTING MATERNAL INSTINCT TO THE TEST: A CALL FOR A GLOBAL RESOURCE ENVELOPE FOR TARGETED SUSTAINABLE INTERVENTIONS

Jacob Mufunda* and Yustina Ndambakuwa

ABSTRACT

Background: Traditionally women play caregiver role for the sick which could have exposed them to Ebola. Similarly, Zika virus disease which hitherto was an innocuous illness now linked to severe neurological disorders in babies with increase in incidence of induced abortions in Zika exposed women poses a disproportionate challenge to women in childbearing age group. The two diseases have independently tested the cradle of maternal instinct to the limit. Objective: To document predisposition of women to Ebola outbreak in West Africa and Zika virus. Methods: The study on Ebola outbreak was conducted between June and August 2014. Data was collected from observation of routine care of the sick and traditional conduct of burials of suspected deaths from Ebola. Literature review was conducted to expound on the Zika virus conjectures. Results: Women handled the sick and deceased including washing them and their clothing. They also processed bush meat and marketed the products. More than 80% of the first 16 Ebola cases were women while more than 60% of the first 45 deceased were women. Rumors on perceptions of Ebola practices were fabricated and spread in market places among women marketers who objected to criticisms of their practices. The link between Zika virus and neurological disorders poses insurmountable apprehension among pregnant women in childbearing age groups globally. The prospects of delivering a child with microcephaly and developmental hardships cause anxiety beyond panic among the vulnerable. Conclusion: Health promotion, infection prevention control capacity and general hygiene for sustainable community based practices on disease prevention are urgently required beginning with the girl child in order to support tradition with evidence from best practices. Vector control measures for Zika virus have multiple benefits because other serious mosquito transmitted diseases such as malaria and yellow fever are also controlled by the same measures. A dedicated global resource envelope to support strengthened community infection prevention control capacity and mosquito vector elimination measures are overdue.

Keywords: Predisposition of women to Ebola; women as carers of sick, community infection prevention control capacity, vector control for Zika, Malaria and yellow fever.