USAID invests in Zika prevention

On August 10, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the initial results of their Combating Zika and Future Threats Grand Challenge that was issued in April of this year. USAID’s efforts align with the whole-of-government strategy to combat Zika.

The challenge called for innovations from around the world to address the current Zika outbreak and improve USAID’s  ability to prevent, detect, and respond to future infectious disease outbreaks. Of the 900 submissions, USAID has chosen 21 “potentially game changing solutions.”

Innovations proposed by the award nominees include mosquito traps, low-cost insecticide-treated sandals, a cell phone app to identify disease-carrying mosquitoes, and deploying of mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia, a naturally-occurring bacteria that prevents the spread of disease to humans.

For more information on the award nominees, please follow the links below.
USAID Announces Initial Results of Grand Challenge to Combat Zika, USAID