DAR ES SALAAM, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The expert team of the China-aided Zanzibar schistosomiasis prevention and control project on Thursday held a health education event on female genital schistosomiasis at a primary school on Pemba Island.
The event, held ahead of International Women's Day to be marked on March 8, focused on adolescent girls' health and school-based disease prevention, attracting more than 400 teachers and pupils, according to Li Wei, deputy director of the Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases.
Li said female genital schistosomiasis, an important manifestation of schistosomiasis infection, can have long-term effects on women's reproductive health if not addressed in time.
Strengthening health education among adolescents, particularly female pupils, is crucial for promoting early detection, early intervention and early treatment, and is a key step toward achieving the goal of schistosomiasis elimination, Li said.
Li added that the Chinese expert team will continue to deepen cooperation with Zanzibar's health and education authorities and promote the implementation of a "health education plus comprehensive prevention and control" model in grassroots schools.
Mohamed Nassor Salim, a local education official, expressed appreciation for the long-term technical support and school health promotion efforts provided by the Chinese expert team.
He said the event demonstrates China's strong commitment to supporting the healthy development of young people and highlighted the important role Chinese experts have played in strengthening disease surveillance, case detection, treatment and personnel training, which help advance local schistosomiasis control efforts. ■
