GSA Meeting | Schistosomiasis - Celebrating Recent Achievements Supporting Elimination Goals
We are delighted to share that the GSA will be hosting a special one-day meeting on the 18th of October in Chicago, after the COR NTD meeting has concluded, as the ASMTH annual meeting commences.
The GSA meeting, Schistosomiasis: Celebrating Recent Achievements Supporting Elimination Goals, will offer an opportunity to hear about the progress made by schistosomiasis programmes, celebrate ongoing work and consider some of the exciting research and developments that will help us reach the elimination targets.
Elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem by 2030 in all endemic countries, requires long-term investment, implementation of new strategies and strong country ownership and commitment. Encouraged by reports of falling prevalence in many countries, it is timely to pause and celebrate ongoing work and consider some of the exciting developments and work in progress that will help us reach the elimination targets.
This one-day meeting will explore how WHO policies and guidelines are providing the stimulus for countries to advance with their control and elimination programmes and will provide examples of how countries are monitoring disease, implementing control interventions and integrating schistosomiasis treatments into health services. The complexity of transmission of this water borne disease means cross cutting activities between different sectors such as water development, agriculture and health are an absolute must, and progress in this area will be illustrated by recent studies. Research is providing new tools with the potential to enhance schistosomiasis control, and some of the exciting advances relating to diagnosis, drug resistance and vaccines will be highlighted.
The meeting will undoubtedly stimulate discussion, key points that we hope will be covered include:
- Can schistosomiasis treatment be better integrated into existing health systems?
- What lessons have been learnt by countries approaching elimination and how can elimination efforts be sustained?
- Will recent innovations involving diverse partnerships contribute to new solutions and redefine best practices?
The aim of this meeting is to foster greater collaboration, coordination and communication across schistosomiasis implementation and research and development practitioners, and to recognise the progress being made.
The meeting will be split into two sessions, one focused on Country Perspectives of Recent Achievements and the other on Research Successes, Innovations and In-Progress.
If you plan to be in Chicago for COR NTD and/or ASTMH we look forward to welcoming you and invite you to register to help us plan for the event.
We are also exploring hosting the meeting virtually for those not in Chicago, so if you would like to attend the meeting but are not planning to be there in person, we welcome you to fill in our registration form to help us understand interest in a virtual component of the event.