STI&HIV World Congress | FGS Workshop

July 30, 2025 7:15 AM - 8:15 AM
Canada

Room 511D

Time 7:25 to 8:15 EDT - light breakfast provided

Ending the Neglect: The Importance of Female Genital Schistosomiasis for quality Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare

Join the FGS Integration Group [FIG] to hear about FGS, its burden and distribution; recent progress and innovation, including country-specific examples; and discuss challenges and opportunities.

Female genital schistosomiasis affects an estimated 56 million women and girls, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa. FGS presents with similar symptoms to STIs, and can result in severe sexual and reproductive health (SRH) complications such as ectopic pregnancy and infertility. It is associated with an FGS/HIV/HPV syndemic in which disease interactions exacerbate underlying susceptibility. Lack of FGS awareness means it is often misdiagnosed as an STI or even cervical cancer, contributing to unnecessary clinical procedures and poor treatment outcomes. Misdiagnosis can result in stigmatisation and further marginalisation. This knowledge and clinical practice gap contributes to lack of evidence on the burden of FGS and millions of women and girls unnecessarily facing preventable SRH risks and complications. FGS interacts with and compounds existing health and social issues particularly affecting women and girls. These ramifications can lead to social isolation and a heightened risk of mental health issues, discrimination, and gender-based violence.

Session Outline:

1. FGS - a critical entry point for service integration

  • What is FGS?  Amadou Garba, World Health Organization
  • The overlapping burden of FGS, STIs and HIV - Olimpia Lamberti, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

2. Recent innovations in diagnostics and treatment

  • Breaking through the diagnostics and treatment barriers – Remco Peters, World Health Organization 

3. Programme implementation: experience from endemic countries

  • The FAST package experience - integration of FGS into SRH service - a training approach for frontline healthcare workers. Ghana, Ethiopia, Madagascar – Alison Krentel (Bruyeye Institute) and Margaret Gyapong (University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ghana)
  • A Minimum Service Package for FGS: experience from Kenya. Victoria Gamba, Kenya Obstetrical Gynaecological Society
  • FGS integration in Eswatini - Marc Steben, HPV Global Action

4. FGS integration: a challenge and an opportunity

  • Moderated Q&A
  • Wrap up and key lessons – Remco Peters, WHO

Session Objectives:

Following the workshop, participants will:

Have a heightened awareness and  understanding of FGS and its importance to STI service delivery: including its epidemiology, biology, symptoms and root social and environmental causes; the links between FGS and SRH,, particularly STIs and HIV; and the broader impacts of FGS including stigmatisation, exclusion, gender-based violence and mental health.

Consider recent innovations and strategies that can strengthen the response to FGS through integration into SRH programming and primary health care services, including rapid diagnostic tests, self-testing techniques, treatment to reduce symptom severity and holistic approaches like the FAST Package.

Identify programmatic challenges and opportunities for integration of FGS into SRH services in their respective contexts: Challenges include lack of awareness of FGS as a SRH issue standardised clinical and programmatic guidance and training; and a health financing architecture that undermines integrated approaches. Opportunities include using FGS as an entry point for enhancing the quality of clinical care  and equity of SRH  services including HIV interventions in sub-Saharan Africa and the African diaspora across the world, through a Minimum Service Package, as well as improving cross-sectoral collaboration.

Speakers:

  • Remco Peters, World Health Organization  
  • Amadou Garba, World Health Organization  
  • Alison Krentel, University of Ottawa, Bruyere Research Institute
  • Olimpia Lamberti, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  • Margaret Gyapong, University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ghana
  • Victoria Gamba, Kenya Obstetric and Gynecological Society
  • Marc Steben, International Society for STD Research (ISSTDR)