02062nas a2200289   4500000000100000008004100001653002000042653001800062653001000080653002200090100000900112700000900121700001600130700001700146700001200163700001500175700001000190700001100200700001200211700001100223700000900234700001000243700001100253245009300264520140100357022001401758       2016                            d10aschistosomiasis10aCollaboration10aChina10aAfrican countries1 aXu J1 aYu Q1 aTchuenté L1 aBergquist RN1 aSacko M1 aUtzinger J1 aLin D1 aYang K1 aZhang L1 aWang Q1 aLi S1 aGuo J1 aZhou X00aEnhancing collaboration between China and African countries for schistosomiasis control.3 a<p>Schistosomiasis remains an important public health issue, with a large number of cases reported across sub-Saharan Africa, and parts of Asia and Latin America. China was once highly endemic, but has made substantial progress and is moving towards elimination of schistosomiasis. Meanwhile, despite long-term, repeated, school-based chemotherapy in many African countries, more than 90% of all schistosomiasis cases are concentrated in Africa, and hence, this continent constitutes the key challenge for schistosomiasis control. Opportunities and issues for international collaboration in the fight against schistosomiasis are outlined with a focus on China's experiences, including the role of public health authorities and intersectoral collaboration, use of new and effective snail control approaches and diagnostic tools adapted to the specific stage of control, as well as the strengthening of risk mapping and surveillance-response mechanisms. Training courses targeting African governmental officials and professionals, coupled with field visits of African scientists and control programme managers to China, and vice versa, are considered important for improved schistosomiasis control and elimination. The crucial question remains whether the Chinese experience can be translated and applied in African countries to improve the effectiveness of health interventions and scale-up.</p>
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