Chinese fund helps Laos eliminate schistosomiasis

The year 2025 is the 10th anniversary of China's Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund (GDSSCF). Over the past decade, the World Health Organization (WHO), as a partner organization of the fund for project implementation, has worked with Chinese institutions to carry out health, poverty alleviation and humanitarian assistance projects in 14 countries and regions in Asia and Africa, covering 16.82 million people and enhancing the resilience of health systems and the health of communities in the recipient countries. Those projects not only responded to public health emergencies, prevented and controlled infectious diseases, but also expanded the coverage of basic health services, and promoted cross-departmental collaboration and local capacity building. Many projects continue to have an impact even after their completion and play a significant role in building local public health capacity.

Background of the schistosomiasis elimination project in Laos

The schistosomiasis elimination project implemented by the WHO in Laos is an exemplary case supported by the GDSSCF, fully demonstrating the significant value of multilateral cooperation and continuous investment in the field of public health. Schistosomiasis, a tropical disease caused by parasitic flatworms in freshwater, has long threatened the health of communities along the Mekong River. In 2003, the infection rate in some areas reached as high as 40 percent. After more than 10 years of continuous efforts, schistosomiasis has now been confined to the southern Champasak Province, with the threatened population reduced to approximately 120,000 across 202 villages. Although the infection rate in high-risk areas has dropped below 1 percent, vulnerable groups such as children still face health risks. So completely eliminating schistosomiasis remains an urgent task.

Project objectives and implementation measures

The core objective of the project is to stop the spread of schistosomiasis by 2025 and to achieve the elimination target certified by the WHO by 2030. To reach this goal, the project provided treatment with praziquantel to high-risk groups every year, and promoted the "community-led schistosomiasis elimination with water, sanitation, and hygiene)" (CL-SWASH) initiative to help communities acquire the ability to improve sanitation conditions. The project also established and improved a monitoring system to track the infection status of humans, animals and snail hosts of the ailment, and provided training for school principals, distributed health education materials and incorporated knowledge on schistosomiasis prevention and control into classroom education. In addition, the project closely collaborated with partners such as the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases (NIPD) of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) to enhance technical capabilities and management levels, ensuring that the prevention and control work was carried out scientifically and effectively.

Project outcomes and impact

By October 2024, the project had completed large-scale drug distribution in 202 target endemic villages, reaching over 95,000 beneficiaries. A total of 1,601 samples were tested at the monitoring site, with only one returning a positive result. The project implemented the CL-SWASH initiative in 14 villages, effectively enhancing the health knowledge and hygiene habits of residents in the communities. Also, multiple technical exchanges and seminars were held, promoting the unification of regional standards and sharing of experience as well as providing replicable practical experience for the prevention and control of schistosomiasis.

Project highlights on sustainable development and management

Capacity building

The project has significantly enhanced the overall capabilities of local institutions and communities through systematic training, the development of monitoring systems and the improvement of laboratory capabilities. The WHO and the NIPD of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention provided laboratory practical training for relevant personnel in Laos, utilizing a combination of online and offline methods. Meanwhile, the CL-SWASH initiative endowed communities with the ability to proactively improve sanitation conditions, ensuring that the intervention measures remain effective after the project completion.

Economic and social benefits

The project has effectively reduced the burden of diseases, enhanced the educational outcomes of school-age children, and improved the economic productivity and medical expenditure efficiency of local households. By enhancing the community's ability to resist risks, the project has promoted the sustainable socio-economic development and brought long-term health and well-being benefits to the local community.

Multilateral cooperation and knowledge sharing

The project is led by the WHO Office in Laos and involved close collaboration among the Ministry of Health of Laos, the NIPD of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Swiss TPH, ensuring the diversity of technical expertise and robust implementation. In addition, multiple online technical exchange activities were held, promoting regional coordination and unification of knowledge transfer and schistosomiasis prevention and control strategies, and accumulating replicable experience for South-South cooperation.

Ten years of hard work have yielded abundant fruit. The GDSSCF has explored cooperation models in public health, and China's financial and technical support in South-South cooperation has played a key role. Over the next decade, the WHO will continue to work closely with China and other partners to improve public health, enhance the resilience of health systems in various countries, and strive to create a fairer, safer and healthier world with health coverage for all.