How do you treat bilharzia? (schistosomiasis)

Martha, who lives in Harare, shares her story of how a routine visit to the doctor for painkillers alerted her to historic bilharzia damage.
Bilharzia (also known as schistosomiasis or snail fever) affects people in 50 endemic countries across Asia, Africa and parts of South America.
Bilharzia is an illness that develops when people come into contact with water contaminated by certain snails that carry disease-causing parasites. These parasites can penetrate through a person’s skin and move through the body.
Infection primarily affects the urinary or intestinal system, causing chronic ill health and, in some cases, death. Lack of access to safe water and hygiene facilities, and water-based activities (such as swimming and fishing) make school-age children the most vulnerable, with infection responsible for malnutrition, absenteeism and possible impaired intellectual development.
Children and adults suffering from persistent and severe bilharzia infections are also likely to have chronic and irreversible diseases later in life, such as scarring (fibrosis) of the liver, bladder cancer or kidney failure.
In women, bilharzia can lead to female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) which can cause complications in pregnancy, infertility, and triple the risk of contracting HIV.
Bilharzia is a preventable and treatable neglected tropical disease (NTDs). Efforts to tackle NTDs are a global health success story, but the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is threatening hard-fought progress. Concerted action and financing for NTDs is needed if we are to reach the targets of the WHO 2030 NTD road map and safeguard the hard-won gains of the past decades. Ending NTDs is possible within our lifetime - now is the moment for leaders to invest and make commitments through signing the Kigali Declaration on NTDs. Funding to tackle NTDs is one of the best investments in global health. To prepare effectively for future pandemics, health systems need to be strong and responsive to the health needs of their populations. NTD programmes strengthen institutions and catalyse lasting transformations in health systems. The eradication of NTDs is a global public good whose benefits are universal.
Find out more about bilharzia here:
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