As Miami officials and agencies continue their battle against Zika virus, Planned Parenthood is joining the fight through outreach efforts, particularly in neighborhoods outside of areas health agencies are targeting.
Canvassers for Planned Parenthood hope to reach 25,000 people in the next six weeks by going door-to-door and speaking with residents about Zika risks and how to prevent infection. The canvas will reach predominantly Latino and Haitian neighborhoods and try to connect residents to local health services, including family planning.
"Florida, ground zero for local Zika transmission, is among the worst states in the nation when it comes to women's health and well-being," Lillian Tamayo, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood South, East and North Florida, said in a statement. "You cannot have a Zika strategy that focuses on mosquitoes but not women….Our leaders must put women and families at the center of the Zika response and fund family planning and education efforts."
The neighborhoods Planned Parenthood is canvassing are just outside the areas of local Zika transmission, according to an NPR report. Christopher Estes, MD, CMO of PPSENFL, told NPR the organization wanted to augment the state and federal response to Zika, and believed the best way would be through outreach in areas surrounding local transmission where government health workers have not been active.
According to the NPR report, some residents in the neighboring areas of local transmission had not heard of Zika or had very little information about the virus.
In addition to outreach efforts, Planned Parenthood health centers in Miami are providing Zika prevention kits for patients who are pregnant or who plan to become pregnant. The kits include mosquito repellant, standing water treatment tablets, contraceptives and educational materials in English and Spanish.
"There is no way to fight the Zika public health crisis without comprehensive access to reproductive healthcare," Dr. Estes said in the statement. "With Zika starting to spread, it's important for Floridians to get accurate, up-to-date information from expert sources."
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