Webinar: Making Urogenital Schistosomiasis Visible in Health Systems

“Regional Coordination and Country Pathways for Scaled Integration in the African Region”

Brazzaville (Congo) - WHO AFRO will convene a regional webinar on 22 April 2026 (14:00–16:00 Brazzaville time, GMT+1) to advance the integration of urogenital schistosomiasis (UGS) within national health systems across the African Region.

Under the theme “Making Urogenital Schistosomiasis Visible in Health Systems,” the session will bring together Ministries of Health, WHO teams, partners, and technical experts to reflect on coordinated regional efforts and identify practical pathways for country-level integration. 

Kids playing in irrigation channels (Ghana, 1993)
© WHO / TDR / Ane Haaland

Despite significant progress in preventive chemotherapy programmes, UGS—including female and male genital schistosomiasis—remains underdiagnosed and insufficiently addressed, with millions of women, girls, and men affected across the Region. The webinar will highlight the need to move beyond vertical approaches and embed UGS within existing health services, including sexual and reproductive health (SRHR), HIV/STI programmes, cervical cancer platforms, mental health services, and primary health care.

The session will showcase WHO AFRO’s coordinated regional approach, including the work of the TAG-UGS, and present key tools such as landscape analysis frameworks, risk mapping, and integration guidance. It will also provide a platform for cross-sector dialogue, enabling countries to identify entry points for integration and strengthen coordination mechanisms across programmes.

Through technical presentations and interactive discussions, participants will explore how to operationalize integration, improve data use, and strengthen health systems to ensure that UGS is effectively diagnosed, managed, and monitored.

Join the Webinar

📅 Date: Wednesday, 22 April 2026
⏰ Time: 14:00–16:00 (Brazzaville Time, GMT+1)
💻 Platform: Zoom

🔗 Join Zoom Meeting:
https://who.zoom.us/j/98660138306

Meeting ID: 986 6013 8306
Passcode: ESPEN@2026

Objectives

• Increase visibility of urogenital schistosomiasis within national health systems 

• Promote integrated, multi-sectoral approaches to morbidity management 

• Share regional tools and coordination mechanisms to support countries 

• Facilitate cross-country dialogue and identify practical entry points for integration 

Who Should Attend

The webinar is targeted to:

• National programme managers (NTDs, SRHR, HIV/STI, NCDs, mental health) 

• Ministry of Health planners and policymakers 

• WHO country and regional staff 

• Implementing partners, donors, and researchers 

• Civil society and community-based organizations 

This webinar forms part of WHO AFRO’s broader efforts to support countries in transitioning toward integrated, person-centred health systems, ensuring that neglected conditions such as UGS are no longer invisible but addressed through coordinated and sustainable approaches.