title: Towards nationwide control of schistosomiasis in Yemen: a pilot project to expand treatment to the whole community.
abstract: Both the urinary and intestinal forms of schistosomiasis are thought to be widespread in the Republic of Yemen, with estimates of 3 million people infected and 600 000 suffering clinical morbidity. Sub-national control has been ongoing since 2006 via the distribution of praziquantel (PZQ) against schistosomiasis and albendazole (ALB) against soil-transmitted helminths using school-based treatment. In preparation for a 6-year nationwide control programme with the aim of expanding treatment to the wider community, a new programmatic approach of complementing school-based distribution with community-based treatment was trialled in 10 highly endemic districts in three governorates in December 2009. The new approach achieved coverage of 90.1% of non-enrolled children: a 40% increase compared with the same districts in 2008, and coverage of 97.9% of enrolled children: a 2% increase compared to 2008. Coverage of females (children and adults) was 81.8%, and of adults in general was 73.9%. The total cost per person treated was US$0.66 (US$0.79 in 2008), which includes training, health education, social mobilization, distribution and drugs. These results provide hope that a combined school and community-based approach can be successfully implemented on a wider scale during the main control programme in 2010-2015, with approximately 10 million people targeted in the first year alone.
authors: Ministry of Public Health and Population, Al Hasaba, PO Box 543, Sana'a, Republic of Yemen.
authors: Abdullah
authors: A
authors: Oshish
authors: Abdulhakim
authors: A
authors: AlKohlani
authors: Alaa
authors: A
authors: Hamed
authors: Nehad
authors: N
authors: Kamel
authors: Ahmed
authors: A
authors: AlSoofi
authors: Hani
authors: H
authors: Farouk
authors: Riadh
authors: R
authors: Ben-Ismail
authors: Albis Francesco
authors: AF
authors: Gabrielli
authors: Alan
authors: A
authors: Fenwick
authors: Michael D
authors: MD
authors: French
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012556:Schistosomicides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012572:School Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology; D015006:Yemen / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D012556:Schistosomicides; D012987:Soil; D011223:Praziquantel; D015766:Albendazole