In the face of the growing concerns about the spread of the Zika virus, Facebook has partnered with Abrasco Divulga – a non-profit organization based in Brazil, to help combat the disease.
Facebook’s Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a Facebook post announced that “The Zika virus has spread to more than 20 countries and is one of the biggest public health challenges right now. For pregnant women who get the virus, it has been linked to brain damage for their babies.
The virus is carried by mosquitoes. There are no medicines to treat or prevent the virus yet, so right now the most important thing is to try to avoid mosquito bites.”
Zuckerberg also posted a video link from their campaign specifically targeted at expectant mothers in Brazil and Latin America. It’s in Portuguese with English subtitles and it lists the steps pregnant women should take in order to avoid mosquitoes, as there are no cures or vaccines for the virus at the moment.
Considering the global reach of Facebook and the millions of active users it has from the nations particular hit by the virus at the moment, I have much hope that this partnership will help in informing a lot more people.