Genital Schistosomiasis Community of Practice

Growing global attention to the impact of genital schistosomiasis on health has led to renewed momentum in research, policy, and programme development. Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) has been highlighted in recent WHO and UNAIDS publications, which call for increased research and stronger integration with related health services, including HIV programmes and cervical cancer screening. Evidence on Male Genital Schistosomiasis (MGS) is also expanding, prompting new studies and programme activities focused on men’s health. A number of research initiatives and implementation projects are now underway across affected countries.

To support this growing field, the GSA multistakeholder platform hosts the Genital Schistosomiasis Community of Practice (GS CoP). The GS CoP is an email‑based network open to clinical and operational researchers, as well as healthcare practitioners—nurses, midwives, doctors, and others—who are working on FGS or MGS, or implementing local programmes such as awareness‑raising, case identification, or health‑worker training.
The purpose of the GS CoP is to enable rapid sharing of information, requests, training opportunities, case studies, and programme updates. By connecting those at the frontline of healthcare and disease control, the CoP aims to accelerate the translation of emerging evidence, tools, and approaches into practice.