LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-In a decisive move to wipe out schistosomiasis (“bilharzia”) as a major public-health concern by 2030, Ministry of Health has announced a comprehensive mass drug administration (MDA) campaign targeting Malawi’s most afflicted districts.
At a media briefing held at the Community Health Sciences Unit in Lilongwe, the Ministry’s Deputy Director for Community and Promotive Health Services, Holystone Kafanikhale, emphasised that children and people living in lakeside and riverside communities face the highest risk.
“Children and communities in affected areas are the most at risk, but everyone who depends on those water sources is also vulnerable,” he said.
Scheduled to run from 4–7 November 2025, this year’s campaign will focus on school-aged children between 5 and 14 years.
In districts identified as high-risk, the MDA will also cover adults aged 15 and above.
Out of Malawi’s 28 districts, 15 have been classified as highly affected by the disease.
The Ministry aims to reach at least 75 percent of the eligible population in these districts with treatment using Praziquantel (for bilharzia) and Albendazole (for intestinal worms).
Kafanikhale noted that while these drugs eliminate adult worms in the body, recipients may experience mild side-effects such as dizziness or nausea, which are temporary.
Programme Manager for Schistosomiasis and Intestinal Worms, Michael Luhanga, said the Ministry is complementing the MDA campaign with long-term prevention strategies.
“We are drilling boreholes to reduce people’s dependence on lakes and rivers for water, promoting hygiene and sanitation in communities, and strengthening surveillance and performance-monitoring systems,” he explained.
He further disclosed that adolescents aged 9–19 years will also receive Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation to combat anaemia and promote overall health.
The Ministry remains optimistic that through consistent treatment, improved water and sanitation infrastructure, and strong community engagement, Malawi can eliminate bilharzia as a public-health problem by 2030.
Bilharzia, also known as schistosomiasis, is a parasitic disease spread through contact with contaminated freshwater.
If left untreated, it can lead to severe health complications such as chronic organ damage and female genital schistosomiasis.
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