A new China-Zimbabwe cooperation pilot project for the control and elimination of Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) could fast-track Zimbabwe’s efforts to eliminate the disease, HealthTimes has learned.
By Michael Gwarisa in Shamva
The project follows the successful signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which has seen Zimbabwe become the first country on the continent to benefit from the China-Africa Corporation Initiative for the elimination of Schistosomiasis. The study has been jointly initiated by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) in Zimbabwe, and the China National Institute of Parasitic Diseases (NIPD). The pilot project is being conducted in Mashonaland Central Province.
Speaking at the launch of the project, Mashonaland Central Provincial Medical Director, Dr. Clement Chuma said while his province had the highest burden of schistosomiasis, the new project could fast-track the efforts to eliminate the disease.
In Zimbabwe, the first National Baseline Survey on schistosomiasis was conducted in 2010 by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC). The survey showed that Mashonaland Central was among the provinces highly affected by the diseases. Shamva has the highest prevalence of schistosomiasis in the province and in all 63 districts in the country,” said Dr Chuma.
Since 2010, according to Dr Chuma, the province has been recording outbreaks in other districts such as Mbire and Rushinga, with schoolchildren being the most affected population.
“Shamva District was selected for the implementation of the comprehensive schistosomiasis elimination strategies including treatment of affected people, provision of sanitation, safe water, health education, and snail control because of the demonstrated huge burden in the district.”
Following the study, a comprehensive report of the ongoing activities will lead to the scale-up of schistosomiasis elimination in the whole district and the country at large. In Shamva District, 30 Households had samples collected and some samples were found to be positive for the Builharzia-causing pathogen.
Professor Nicholas Midzi, the NIHR Director and also the lead researcher in the study said the project will also make use of field applicable new technologies to help in the surveillance and early warning for rapid response for the control of schistosomiasis.
“This is a pilot stage or study that we have conducted and launched to be able to assess the various tools that will be used for the control of vector snails or intermediate host snails that are responsible for the transmission of Bilharzia. We are also assessing the Rapid Diagnostic Tests that can be used at a community level by the health facilities to improve surveillance of Bilharzia at the community level where the disease exists,” said Prof Midzi.
He added that they expect to produce Molluscicides that will be used to control snails that are transmitting the disease at hotspots or water contact points where transmission is ongoing. Detection of snails at water contact points will be made possible through the collection of snails, crushing them and extracting the DNA material, and further analyzing the sample to be able to confirm if there is an ongoing transmission.
Meanwhile, China took about 70 years to eliminate schistosomiais. Speaking to Journalists, Dr Li Zhizhu, the Deputy Director China National Institute of Parasitic Diseases (NIPD) said it was possible for Zimbabwe to eliminate schistosomais early at the back of new technologies available and the partnership between the trow countries.
“This program is supported by the government of China to improve the local people’s health and to improve the knowledge of schistosomais in the people and children in order to reduce schistosmiasis. This is very significant program between our countries to improve the relationship between Zimbabwe and China government,” said Dr Zhizhu.
According to 2021 global estimates, at least 2oo million people require treatment for Bilharzia globally. In the same year, the world managed to treat only 75.3 million people who were suffering from the diseases. In Zimbabwe, the disease is endemic in almost all provinces but on average, 22.7 percent of the population were actually infected and affected by the disease.
