Female genital schistosomiasis is a devastating disease that is estimated to affect millions of women and girls across Africa. As a researcher at Sightsavers, I’m working to understand how we can provide better care to these women.

Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) is caused by water-borne parasitic worms that infect people as they fetch water, bathe and wash clothes. The parasites burrow through the skin to live in the blood. As they reproduce, their eggs migrate into organs including the uterus, vagina and fallopian tubes, causing inflammation and bleeding.

Neurological involvement in schistosomiasis presents a significant and serious complication. While the disease is generally considered treatable during the early stages, the rarity of this condition often leads to delays in diagnosis and treatment. This study aims to report the clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with spinal neuroschistosomiasis (NS) in an endemic area to the disease.

The Ministry of Health has announced mass administration of drugs to control schistosomiasis (bilharzia) and intestinal worms in five counties in the Lake Region.

This comes after a granular mapping exercise conducted in November last year revealed that the two neglected tropical diseases were endemic in the region. The drugs will be distributed from August 24 -29 in a move aimed at controlling the spread of the diseases in Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Siaya and Busia counties following a spike in the number of cases.

The number of people at risk from trachoma, the world's leading infectious cause of blindness, fell from 125 million in 2022 to 115.7 in 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported in its Weekly Epidemiological Record.

The progress update presents data on the implementation of the WHO-endorsed SAFE strategy (surgery, antibiotics, facial cleanliness, environmental improvement) in trachoma-endemic countries in 2022 as well as summaries based on district-level prevalence estimates held in the GET2020 database as of 25 April 2023.

Schistosomiasis (bilharzia) and soil transmitted helminths (roundworms, whipworms and hookworms) and Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) are among the 20 Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) identified by the World Health Organisation. NTDs are a diverse group of conditions that are mainly prevalent in tropical zones, where they affect people who live in disadvantaged communities.

Government and its partners cannot work alone; it needs the people in the societies to take a stand. To be willing to make some changes. They need to be aware of why it is important for them to play a part in the elimination of these age-old diseases.

River blindness is a parasitic disease caused by the filarial worm, Onchocerca volvulus, and transmitted by repeated bites of infected blackflies (Simulium spp.).

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), these blackflies breed along fast-flowing rivers and streams, close to remote villages near fertile land where people rely on agriculture.

The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has been recognised for gains made by the West Africa region in tackling neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that affect more than 600 million people in Africa, nearly half of whom are in ECOWAS.

It is a year since global leaders gathered in Rwanda committed to ending malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) at the Kigali Summit on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). The summit injected new energy into the fight against NTDs – diseases of poverty, affecting over one billion people that continue to be left behind.

In our role as Secretariat for the Coalition for Operational Research on Neglected Tropical Diseases (COR-NTD), we are pleased to share with you our annual report for 2022. The annual report comprises the work not only of the secretariat but also the work of the Coalition—300+ partners working together to eliminate neglected tropical diseases.

2024 marks 50 years since a World Health Assembly resolution called for the establishment of a research programme that became TDR. As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, this photo contest invites

TDR Global members to share powerful images relevant to TDR’s history of tackling infectious diseases of poverty. Selected photos may be showcased at TDR events or in TDR communications materials such as newsletters, our website or on our social media platforms. 3 Grand Prix winners will receive a new FUJIFILM X-S10 digital camera.