WHO/PAHO New Response Plan For Zika Until December 2017

A new response plan for a strategic response to the Zika virus has been announced by the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization.

The revised Zika Strategic Response Plan includes elements such as integrated vector management, sexual and reproductive health counselling, and health education.

According to a WHO release, the plan highlights areas of the Zika outbreak which require a collaborative, global response.

Those areas include the absence of vaccines, specific treatments and rapid diagnostic tests.

The strategic objectives include the fast tracking and scaling up of the research, development and availability of Aedes mosquito control tools, diagnostic tests and vaccines.

According to WHO and PAHO, more than 60 partners are engaged in the global response to Zika, up to 23 partners in February 2016. The foreseen funding needed to implement the revised plan from now until December 2017 has been estimated at US$121.9 million, the release said.