Why you’ve never heard of this common disease

Female genital schistosomiasis – FGS – affects an estimated 56 million women in Sub-Saharan Africa. But not much is known about how this debilitating condition affects women in Sub-Saharan Africa, despite its prevalence. As FGS symptoms mirror many sexually transmitted diseases, it is often misdiagnosed. 

In this episode of Africa Science Focus, our reporter Michael Kaloki speaks to Tijani Salami, physician and sexual reproductive health expert, on the slow progress that’s being made towards curbing one of Africa’s most neglected diseases. And Ibrahim Rabiu, president of the Female Genital Schistosomiasis Society of Nigeria and lecturer at Gombe State University, debunks some misconceptions surrounding the disease. 

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.

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