adminMunyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
ZIMBABWE does not have the capacity to diagnose female genital bilharzia also known as gynaecological bilharzia owing to limited resources and lack of expertise, Government consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Velda Mushangwe has said.
Speaking on the sidelines of World Health Organisation (WHO) African conference at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban yesterday, Dr Mushangwe said most doctors and nurses in Zimbabwe were failing to diagnose and recognise gynaecological bilharzia due to lack of knowledge and limited resources.
This week, WHO, African doctors and world leading researchers are gathering at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban to compile a booklet that will assist medical practitioners recognise female bilharzia.
Dr Mushangwe, who is based at Gweru Provincial Hospital, is among experts who participated in the workshop and compiled a booklet for female genital bilharzia to be accessible to doctors worldwide.
She said most women diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) could be suffering from gynaecological bilharzia as its symptoms are similar.
“There are many doctors and nurses in Zimbabwe, but only a handful of health care workers are able to recognise gynaecological bilharzia.
“By increasing awareness and by teaching every health worker in this country what the disease looks like, we could eliminate this public health problem,” she said.“It is unacceptable that people are suffering from this disease and that children are still contracting it. Brazil and Egypt have successfully treated their populations. Hopefully Zimbabwe will do the same,” said Dr Mushangwe.
She said more knowledge needed to be imparted to health practitioners and professionals to ensure that they recognise the disease so that they do not make wrong diagnosis.
“The microscopic bilharzia parasites live in fresh water and can penetrate the skin upon contact. No pain is felt and the patients are unaware of this.
“Swimming or doing laundry in infested rivers, lakes and lagoons pose a high risk. The parasites can stay in the body for over 30 years and cause great damage. Research shows that bilharzia affects both genders and all ages,” she said.
She said children are particularly susceptible to the disease.
The disease, she said, is painful, causing chronic bleeding, and infertility.
Dr Pamela Sabina Mbabazi, of the WHO Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases said the disease was highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa.
“We are fighting against time to spread information about this disease all over sub-Saharan Africa where it is prevalent. Children living in endemic areas should be particularly targeted with regular so-called ‘preventive treatments’ to prevent the life-long damage the disease can cause to their reproductive organs.
“The longer we delay raising awareness about the disease, the more infected people remain undiagnosed and vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV,” she said.
Online Reporter