Government and educational bodies signed pact against Zika

The Brazilian Education Pact against Zika was signed Thursday by Education Minister Aloizio Mercadante, and representatives from the National Committee of Education Secretaries, the Municipal Education Directors Union and student organizations, in addition to universities, professional educational institutions, and public and private schools.

They have taken on a commitment to carry out coordinated actions aiming to extinct the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, transmitter of the virus Zika, as well as dengue and chikungunya fever. UNICEF and UNESCO have also signed the document.

Mercadante reported that the government is organizing a national campaign to raise awareness and eliminate the breeding grounds for the mosquito, and it will start on February 13, in which 220,000 military men, 260,000 community health workers and 48,000 health surveillance officers will take part. On February 19, the educational community will launch a campaign, in which 60 million people, among students, teachers and civil servants, will take part.

The minister pointed out, however, that the fight against the Aedes aegypti cannot be restricted to special dates. "WHO [World Health Organization] estimated  that 4 million people have caught Zika  in the Americas, 1.5 million in Brazil. At this moment, we have no vaccine, nor effective treatment. The only response we can give is fight with all our weapons to prevent this mosquito from breeding," he said. In the minister's view, the country will need to remain alert for the next three or four years.

Mercadante recommended each agency or educational body to create a standing committee to deal with the fight against Zika. "In the Education Ministry, we are appointing five people to be responsible for it, a standing committee. This is also essential for universities, institutions, etc., in order to establish a management structure to collect and disclose information," he said. He pointed out the schools' role. "Schools are problably the best response at the moment to build this awareness, to mobilize society."

For this, the Ministry will send handouts to the school community "We are sending letter to all educational secretaries and civil servants, and we will also send this handout for each student. Younger children will receive a short letter to take to their parents," he reported. He said the government aims to launch a video competition to raise awareness of the virus and spread it on the internet.

Mercadante demanded the students to cooperate with the campaign and organize university hazings, usually practiced in the first week of their first semester, using the fight against Zika as a motive. "I have nothing against shaving on, painting the face, organizing freshmen parties or tap beer parties. But they should put the fight at the center of the hazing rituals this year," he stated.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta

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