Schistosomiasis, also known as “Bilharzia”, is a disease caused by parasitic worms that live in fresh water. Schistosomiasis is often called the "snail Fever" because the disease's causative parasites, Schistosoma, rely on freshwater snails as part of their life cycle.

It is spread when people wade or bathe in water containing the parasite's larvae, which can enter the body through the skin.

Severe cases can cause long-term organ damage, especially in children aged 5 to 15, who are most at risk of infection and often carry the heaviest parasite loads.



The recommended treatment Praziquantel (tablet) is manufactured by a limited number of pharmaceutical companies, and production volumes are sometimes insufficient to meet global demand. Generic versions have improved affordability, but supply chains remain fragile.

We advocate for increased funding, innovation, and collaboration to combat this preventable and treatable disease in places like Kenya, where our teams working in Dagahaley refugee camp have recorded a sharp increase in cases of Schistosomiasis since August 2024, in an environment where access to drinking water is a daily challenge.