Schistosomiasis treatments for the adult population of Rutsiro district

More than 77% of the Adult Population of Rutsiro District in Rwanda De-wormed.

By Malick Kayumba  (IEC and Communication Mobilization Officer, the NTD/Access Project)

More than 77% of the Adult Population of Rutsiro District in Rwanda De-wormed

In early October 2008, 15,870 adults, or 77% of the Rutsiro District adult population, were de-wormed against schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzias) and intestinal worms in a two-day campaign.

The campaign was organized by TRAC Plus - CIDC, Center of Infectious Disease Control of the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Access Project and the local Community Health Workers. The de-worming efforts targeted the adult population in 69 villages near Lake Kivu, which have the highest prevalence rates of schistosomiasis.

A Community Health Worker in Rutsiro, Marc Bahemukiyiki, shared his thoughts on the campaign: “I work as a volunteer and with very limited means, but I'm very happy, when I realize that over 70% of our people - who are in a very endemic area - participated in this de-worming campaign”. This satisfaction widespread among all the partners involved in the de-worming efforts, for in only two days, the average campaign coverage surpassed the WHO target (75% coverage rate).

The mapping survey administered in early 2008 revealed that Rutsiro and Gicumbi districts were highly endemic for schistosomiasis.

During the Mother and Child Health Week from 19-22 August 2008, all school age children and all children under 5 years were de-wormed, yet the adult population had yet to be treated until this recent campaign.

NTD experts determined that in order to decrease the transmission of schistosomiasis in a region with prevalence rates in school children above 30%, it was critical to treat the adult population (>16 years ) in all the villages located near Lakes.

Since the de-worming campaign is a community based intervention, Community Health Workers in the targeted villages were trained by TRAC-Plus in collaboration with The Access Project and the Rutsiro District health system; this included: the district hospital and seven health centers, namely Kivumu, Musasa, Biruyi, Cyimbili, Mushubati, Kinunu, and Kibingo.

Mr. Marc, who volunteers in the Kivumu Sector attended the training, which prepared him to distribute medication as well as teach people to protect themselves from infection. When asked about the delivery process he stated: “Since the beginning, I was very confident to succeed because, my colleague and I sensitized our people and had tablet poles, drugs and other facilitations on time before we started the campaign.
Mr. Marc’s experience was one example of the collaboration between the Ministry of Health, the Access Project and the Community Health Workers, which is critical to the success of de-worming efforts.

TRAC Plus – CIDC (NTD Program) and the Access Project are organizing a similar campaign in all the villages around the lake Muhazi in Gicumbi District in the end of October 2008 to ensure adequate coverage of all the schistosomiasis endemic regions.