Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) is a neglected gynaecological condition which affects as many as 56 million girls and women across sub-Saharan Africa. FGS can lead to serious complications such as ectopic pregnancy, abortions and infertility. Women suffering from FGS are at much greater risk of HIV or HPV (the virus associated with cervical cancer) and can suffer stigma and social exclusion. Yet no routine FGS services or prevention programmes exist.

This project will ensure that young women at risk of FGS in Côte d’Ivoire have access to prevention and healthcare through the scale-up of a successful pilot to integrate FGS services with routine HIV and reproductive health services. It will develop and test an FGS risk-assessment questionnaire for identifying young women at risk and enabling targeted prevention, awareness raising and care. This will then be used to support the roll-out of FGS services to women across the country.