For communities living around Tanzania’s Lake Zone region, schistosomiasis – a debilitating neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic worms – remains a widespread and persistent burden, especially for the youngest children.
A landmark pilot now underway is introducing the first-ever treatment designed specifically for preschool-aged children. Over the next 18 months, it will reach more than 25,000 young children across Itilima, Sengerema and Kigoma District Councils.
By addressing schistosomiasis early, this effort aims to protect children’s health, growth and development while generating evidence that will inform national and regional scale-up.
The pilot initiative is a joint effort between the Government of Tanzania and the UNDP-led Access and Delivery Partnership, with funding from the Government of Japan, and in collaboration with the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium and the Global Health Innovative Technology Fund. Implementation is led by the National Institute for Medical Research, working closely with the WHO, TDR and PATH. Medicines for the pilot implementation are supplied by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.