The prevalence of Zika in Brazil is a national crisis. There may be some irony in the quandry of a nation that is 65% Catholic being faced with knowledge that many of their next generation of children have microcephaly at the first or second trimester, making this all the more painful and gut-wrenching for the Brazilians, as the rest of the world looks on. As of early July 2016, the World Health Organization reports there have been 1656 confirmed cases of Zika in Brazil, a number that dwarfs every other country by almost 100 times. Zika, the documentary, a resource noted by the Medical Anthropology section of the American Association of Anthropology (of which I am a member) highlights the flow of expectant mothers into the clinic who are told their babies have been affected by their infection with Zika, displaying the harsh reality of the decisionmaking process.
Most of the parents seem accepting and are often given hope by the medical advice that it is the degree of microcephaly that is important. The possibility of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is another diagnosis that could come later, and not mentioned, at least in the film. What this film adds to dozens of internet videos on Zika is the impact on the lives of Brazilians and the future of a generation or more of children with microcephaly, as well as the mental anguish and family impact of the experience with the pregnancy, birth and afterbirth period. As depicted in the film, the resources for traveling to clinics for "stimulation" or for treatment, as well as other care is a government benefit, and many are still waiting for it. Clinics that care for infants with microcephaly are state-supported, as well. One mother was unable to continue working due to the requirements of care of her infant with microcephaly. Many other families may have husbands who are out of work, and the mother's job was the only one providing resources for the family.
The upshot is that Brazil is in for a massive requirement for resources in so many ways for the future, that it is frightening, for any country no matter how wealthy. This will include special education, special care, workforce shifts, national productivity, increasing burdens on social benefits that are going to be reduced by the drop in productivity and potentially a drop in GDP, a measure of the health and stability of a government.
As a largely Catholic country, the termination of pregnancy is highly unlikely unless the health of the mother is at risk. However in 2012, the Supreme Federal Court ruled that a pregnancy could be terminated for anencephaly, or the absence of part of the brain. In at least one case in the film, the cerebellum was missing from the baby. But it was not without a fight. It started in 2004 when the National Federation of Health Workers filed a case to declare women who could not legally abort a fetus that was destined to die within 24-48 hours after birth because it was a violation of human dignity, i.e., the UN Declaration of Human Rights. The Attorney General brought the 2012 case, but over the objection of the Council of Bishops in Brazil. The Supreme Federal Court vote was 9-2 in favor of changing the law to include anencephaly to rape and life of the mother reasons for abortion.
Zika is making its way on a rapidly unfolding global itinerary and there is little to no plan to address it. The EU just had its first case of microcephaly attributed to Zika. Who/WHO should be leading an effort to confront this global threat? Is WHO doing enough? On February 1, 2016, rather late, the WHO took action under international law, using the International Health Regulations to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Since, WHO has deployed 95 WHO experts, globally as of July 16, 2016 in their mission to address Zika. Is there a cohesive strategy? The WHO strategy for the Americas is simply to diagnosis and research the problem, and not one word is expended on killing mosquitos, which is the most effective way to avoid the problem. However, by March 2016, recommendations were finally issued by the WHO Public Health Emergency committee convened under the International Health Regulations which focused on mosquito control.
Most of the parents seem accepting and are often given hope by the medical advice that it is the degree of microcephaly that is important. The possibility of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is another diagnosis that could come later, and not mentioned, at least in the film. What this film adds to dozens of internet videos on Zika is the impact on the lives of Brazilians and the future of a generation or more of children with microcephaly, as well as the mental anguish and family impact of the experience with the pregnancy, birth and afterbirth period. As depicted in the film, the resources for traveling to clinics for "stimulation" or for treatment, as well as other care is a government benefit, and many are still waiting for it. Clinics that care for infants with microcephaly are state-supported, as well. One mother was unable to continue working due to the requirements of care of her infant with microcephaly. Many other families may have husbands who are out of work, and the mother's job was the only one providing resources for the family.
The upshot is that Brazil is in for a massive requirement for resources in so many ways for the future, that it is frightening, for any country no matter how wealthy. This will include special education, special care, workforce shifts, national productivity, increasing burdens on social benefits that are going to be reduced by the drop in productivity and potentially a drop in GDP, a measure of the health and stability of a government.
As a largely Catholic country, the termination of pregnancy is highly unlikely unless the health of the mother is at risk. However in 2012, the Supreme Federal Court ruled that a pregnancy could be terminated for anencephaly, or the absence of part of the brain. In at least one case in the film, the cerebellum was missing from the baby. But it was not without a fight. It started in 2004 when the National Federation of Health Workers filed a case to declare women who could not legally abort a fetus that was destined to die within 24-48 hours after birth because it was a violation of human dignity, i.e., the UN Declaration of Human Rights. The Attorney General brought the 2012 case, but over the objection of the Council of Bishops in Brazil. The Supreme Federal Court vote was 9-2 in favor of changing the law to include anencephaly to rape and life of the mother reasons for abortion.
Zika is making its way on a rapidly unfolding global itinerary and there is little to no plan to address it. The EU just had its first case of microcephaly attributed to Zika. Who/WHO should be leading an effort to confront this global threat? Is WHO doing enough? On February 1, 2016, rather late, the WHO took action under international law, using the International Health Regulations to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Since, WHO has deployed 95 WHO experts, globally as of July 16, 2016 in their mission to address Zika. Is there a cohesive strategy? The WHO strategy for the Americas is simply to diagnosis and research the problem, and not one word is expended on killing mosquitos, which is the most effective way to avoid the problem. However, by March 2016, recommendations were finally issued by the WHO Public Health Emergency committee convened under the International Health Regulations which focused on mosquito control.
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