By Liana Bonongwe
Deputy minister of Health Noah Chimpeni has launched FGS initiative, aimed at addressing neglected tropical disease of Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) which affects the reproductive health of women.
Speaking during the launch on Friday at Maganga Primary School in the area of Senior Chief Maganga in Salima District, Chimpeni who was also the guest of honour emphasized the importance of ensuring clean water, as the disease originates from contaminated water.
“FGS really affects the lives of Malawians, and many of them especially women live with it without knowing that it is FGS. As a result, it causes complications like cervical cancer, infertility, and pain during sexual intercourse,” said Chimpeni.
She added that they are making efforts to educate communities across the country so that they can quickly recognize symptoms of the disease and receive appropriate help.
Germany’s Ambassador to Malawi, Ute König, said her country, along with the World Health Organization (WHO), is working with Malawi to tackle Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS), with the aim of reducing the number of people affected by the disease.
“FGS affects over 250 million women worldwide, and Malawian women and girls are often affected as well. They suffer in silence because they don’t know what it is. To strengthen this program, we want to increase awareness, improve prevention, provide better treatment, and collect more accurate data,” said König.
