After a donor-funded national schistosomiasis control programme in Mali ended in 1992, the organ-destroying worm disease that affects about 200 million people worldwide (World Health Organization) rebounded within 12 years, according to a recently published medical study.
The disease can damage the bladder, ureters, kidneys, liver, spleen and intestines.
Even though endemic communities in Mali received intensive treatment and health education on schistosomiasis from 1982-1992, the infection was still as widespread nationwide in 2004 as earlier decades, according to researchers.
Despite the 10-year programme, study leader Archie Clements from Australia’s The University of Queensland said control needs to be delivered even longer – “over a very long time period” – to have a lasting impact.
Since Malian government funding for schistosomiasis ended in 1998, the disease received little attention until the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded Schistosomiasis Control Initiative started in 2004.
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The disease can damage the bladder, ureters, kidneys, liver, spleen and intestines.
Even though endemic communities in Mali received intensive treatment and health education on schistosomiasis from 1982-1992, the infection was still as widespread nationwide in 2004 as earlier decades, according to researchers.
Despite the 10-year programme, study leader Archie Clements from Australia’s The University of Queensland said control needs to be delivered even longer – “over a very long time period” – to have a lasting impact.
Since Malian government funding for schistosomiasis ended in 1998, the disease received little attention until the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded Schistosomiasis Control Initiative started in 2004.
pt/aj
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