Authors

F Mutapi¹;  ¹ University of Edinburgh, UK

Discussion

Women and girls are disproportionately affected by neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), and have less access to medical care. The NTD, human schistosomiasis, remains a significant public health challenge in Africa which bears 90% of the global burden of the disease. Consequently, African women and girls disproportionately suffer from female genital schistosomiasis(FGS), a gynaecological manifestation of urogenital schistosomiasis. Yet FGS remains underreported, under- and misdiagnosed and largely untreated. It affects the same populations who carry a disproportionate global burden of HIV and cervical cancer. FGS exemplifies the experiences of marginalized women and girls, who face multiple and intersecting health, sociocultural, environmental and economic challenges. In the post COVID-19 era, global and domestic health priorities and budgets are being pivoted towards pandemic preparedness and other health threats. There is a danger of this neglected disease being relegated further down the health priority list. To avoid this, there is need to integrate and mainstream FGS awareness, prevention, control and treatment within global and domestic health agendas and local health systems. In this presentation, l give examples of the importance of integrating FGS into schistosomiasis control programmes, and inclusion in global NTD, and female health and reproductive health initiatives and policies. Mainstreaming FGS into these platforms will ensure the disease is not left behind in efforts to accelerate NTD elimination and meet Sustainable Development Goal targets.