Long-term Effects of Zika on Children, Families and Communities

The Zika epidemic first caught global attention in 2015 when Brazil started reporting an increase in cases and a high incidence of children born with microcephaly potentially linked to the outbreak. In February 2016, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that the cluster of neurological disorders and neonatal mal-formations reported in the Americas region constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. By April 2016, the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed a causal link between the Zika virus and microcephaly and Guillan Barré Syndrome.

In 2016, Save the Children launched a new campaign ‘Every Last Child’ with a focus on the most deprived and marginalised children. We are calling on Governments and the international community to ensure all children enjoy their right to survive, learn and be protected regardless of who they are or where they live. This includes children with disabilities, who are particularly vulnerable in the face of the Zika epidemic.