Schistosomiasis in Malawi

Burundi is one of the smallest countries in Africa, and its more than 11 million inhabitants make it one of the most population dense countries on the continent. The country is endemic for parasitic worm infections including schistosomiasis, and following several years of treatment, we’re supporting the local government to eliminate these diseases for good.

Parasitic worm infections are debilitating and disproportionately affect the poor and vulnerable, particularly children. While lack of awareness and limited access to clean water and sanitation continue to present challenges, Côte d’Ivoire’s national programme is committed to achieving the elimination of schistosomiasis. By supporting the Ministry of Health, we’re continuing to fight these diseases using sustainable interventions.

Ethiopia, in the horn of Africa, is the most populous land-locked country in the world. It bears a significant burden of parasitic worm infections, including schistosomiasis, but we’re supporting the Ministry of Health to implement a multi-year national programme for the control and elimination of these diseases.

Parasitic worm infections (such as schistosomiasis) often trap people in a cycle of poverty, and almost half of the population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is living below the national poverty line. We’re supporting the local government to eliminate these infections.

Around 40% of Liberia’s population is affected by parasitic worm infections (such as schistosomiasis), but we’ve successfully worked with its government to reach all at-risk school age children with treatment.

Madagascar, one of the largest islands in the world, is a low-income country that has suffered from several years of reduced international aid. In most endemic areas in the country, people have gone untreated for many years. We’re supporting the Ministry of Public Health and Education to reach the largest possible number of people affected by schistosomiasis.

A majority of Niger’s population lives in rural areas and almost half of Nigerians live below the poverty line. Access to clean water and sanitation is a daily challenge, but by supporting the Ministry of Health we’ve helped to deliver over 10 million treatments for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths, and have reached all at-risk school-age children.

With over half of Sudan’s population unable to use improved water and sanitation, over 20 million people need treatment for parasitic worm infections and schistosomiasis. We’re supporting the country’s government to help maintain an elimination programme with national reach.

Despite the country’s control programme reaching national coverage, the size of population at risk is still significant. We support the Ministry of Health and Pemba’s Public Health Laboratory-Ivo de Carneri to deliver treatments against parasitic worm infections, including schistosomiasis.

Parasitic worm infections often trap people in a cycle of poverty, and almost a quarter of the population in Uganda is living below the poverty line. We’re supporting the local government to eliminate these infections, including schistosomiasis.

All 11 districts across both islands in Zanzibar are endemic for soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and all but one on Unguja are endemic for urogenital schistosomiasis (SCH) with prevalence ranging from 0.4 – 4.8%.

All 29 of Malawi’s health districts are endemic for schistosomiasis, with both urogenital and intestinal schistosomiasis present within the country. Disease levels in Malawi range from 1.3% to 25.4%, which are classified as low to moderate prevalence, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) endemicity categories.