A study has revealed that many young women in rural parts of Ogun state are silently suffering from a little-known but dangerous disease called Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS), a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD).
The condition, caused by parasites found in dirty water, can seriously affect a woman’s reproductive health.
The study, titled “Investigating outcomes of female genital schistosomiasis in communities in Ogun State, Nigeria: a pilot cross-sectional study,” was carried out by Professor Olaoluwa Pheabian Akinwale, a Professor of Parasitology at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), and Dr Vincent Pam Gyang, a senior scientist at NIMR.
They focused their research on two rural communities, where many people rely on rivers and streams for bathing, cooking, and working, especially fishing.
The study revealed that out of 126 women who took part, 47 agreed to more detailed tests. The results were worrying, as almost one in four of the women had signs of the disease. Young women between the ages of 16 and 35 were the most affected, with over 30 per cent showing signs of infection. Women who fish for a living had the highest infection rate, at nearly 30 per cent.
Akinwale, who is the lead author of the study, at a press conference, organized by NIMR, in Lagos, disclosed that they (researchers) used special medical tools, including a device called a colposcope, to examine the women.
“We found symptoms like unusual patches and blood vessels in the cervix—clear signs of infection. Some of these signs were missed during the first test, which only checked their urine. This shows that the usual method for testing may not be good enough to detect the disease in women. Even more concerning, lab tests found abnormal cells in every woman’s cervical sample, and in two cases, the parasite’s eggs were found inside the reproductive organs.
While no cancer was found, the abnormal cells could lead to serious health problems if not treated,” she revealed.
Akinwale said they were able to trace the spread of the disease to communities that don’t have clean water and aren’t aware of the risks. To protect women in rural areas, she called for better testing tools for detecting the disease in women; mass distribution of medicine (praziquantel) to treat the infection; health education and awareness programs in local communities and more training for health workers to recognise and treat the disease.
The Parasitologist also emphasised the need to involve local leaders and even the women’s husbands to encourage more women to get checked.
“This disease is not just a health issue—it’s a matter of fairness and women’s rights. We must do more to protect women in our villages,” Akinwale advised.
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