“To avoid any attempt at risky methods of abortion”, the “Women on Web” NGO “has announced that it will offer abortion pills to pregnant women” affected by the Zika[1] virus around the globe. This NGO, created in 2005, is fighting for access to abortion and, since its inception, sends “a packet of [abortion] pills and instructions” in response to requests received on its website. Rebecca Gomperts, Director and Founder of the NGO justifies this move: “The zika virus is mostly proliferating in countries where access to abortion is extremely depleted. (…) We want to ensure that women have access to safe, medical abortions”. Nevertheless, she refused “to reveal how many packets have already been dispatched”.
In Brazil, the Feminist Association, Anis, is preparing to appeal to the Supreme Court to authorise women who have contracted the Zika virus to terminate their pregnancy. However, the State has already “mobilised 220,000 military personnel in an attempt to stem the spread of the virus. Their mission is to “eradicate as far as possible locations conducive to the reproduction of these tiger mosquitoes”. Other measures have also been undertaken such as the “free distribution of mosquito repellents to the poorest of families”.
On Monday, the WHO stated that the Zika virus epidemic was a “public health emergency of international proportions”. This qualification “is geared to accelerating international action against the virus and scientific research: in fact, no vaccine or treatment is currently available” (see The Zika epidemic – a public health issue).
[1] Transmitted by the “tiger mosquito”, the Zika virus triggers foetal deformities in pregnant women.
AFP (2/02/2016); Hospimedia (2/02/2016); Aleteia (2/02/2016)