Promote formation of a cross-sectoral/program FGS National Advisory Committee for the national oversight function of integrating FGS prevention into family and school health, maternal and child health, family planning services, HIV, and other SHRH programs.

Promote FGS across health programs at highest levels (HIV, STI, HPV, SRHR) as an important, neglected, human rights, gender, and sexual and reproductive health (SHRH) issue

Promote expansion of MDA beyond school children as a strategy for schistosomiasis and HIV prevention

Advocate for awareness and treatment and prevention through routine SRHR and PHC services including diagnosis, treatment, reporting, and preventive treatment with PZQ through the health system

Advocate for MDA during periods of food security

Promote WASH as a key partner in FGS awareness raising (e.g., advocate for safe water sources and toilets)

Support national and international FGS rights-based efforts

Advocate with donors and for the integration of FGS and women’s SHRH and empowerment

Advocate with Ministry of Education for schistosomiasis education in schools

Commit to ensure high quality MDA and ongoing schistosomiasis control activities

Seek collaboration for either supplemental feeding and/or community-level support in areas of food insecurity

Partner with Ministry of Education for school-based MDA and with other ministries to expand MDA beyond schools to reach other adolescents and women

Partner with WASH and water, sanitation, and environmental sector for provision of safe water and toilets

Support “One Health” approach

Policies ensuring FAST package training for all relevant health personnel, including gender sensitive approaches (e.g., education/sensitization on FGS with males and key community members and incorporate their perspectives)

Leverage existing trainings for both clinical training and post training continuing education and outreach opportunities to highlight importance and education on FGS (e.g., SHRH and HIV training activities)

Ensure orientation on intersectoral linkages in curricula for health staff (e.g., education, WASH, nutrition)

FGS National Advisory Committee in place to provide national oversight function of integrating FGS diagnosis and treatment into existing clinical services and information systems

Oversight mechanisms are in place and regularly employed to ensure that gender and human rights values are respected in diagnosis and treatment of FGS

Follow WHO policy briefs recommending that adolescent girls and women of reproductive age be provided with deworming treatment with PZQ for schistosomes

PZQ available for treatment and prevention in all facilities providing health care for women and girls.

Advocate with Ministry of Finance (state or national level) to include budget line for FGS as part of SRHR programs and for release of funds

Explore options for savings in mainstreaming PZQ into health services (e.g., bulk procurement with neighboring countries)

Advocate for WASH and for pipe water in endemic communities

Ensure funding is available for key FGS interventions

Ensure funding for FGS used for line items programmed

Support advocacy for funding for safe water access

Adequate budget or separate line item provided for training of health personnel on FGS prevention, diagnosis, counselling, and treatment for both pre-service and in service training across the spectrum of providers serving women’s and girls health needs

Budget available for diagnostic procedures, as appropriate

Budget available for PZQ procurement

Raise awareness among health personnel at all levels of care (PHC, obstetricians gynecologists, pharmacists, etc.) about risks and signs of FGS, its links to STIs, HIV and cervical cancer, and available treatment

Disseminate information re WASH, MDA, FGS, and risks of infection

Counsel community members and health centre clients about FGS and seek their approval for necessary examinations or invasive procedures

First level of care includes training in syndromic management of FGS

Training in clinical care management o extent possible, in “Competencies for medical professionals working in a clinical setting” and in applying them in a gender- and culturally sensitive manner

Integrate FGS diagnosis into SHRH services, including, STI/HIV programs

Incorporate awareness of FGS and its comorbidities, including fertility complications, into SRHR-related services,

Ensure awareness of health workforce about treatment and referral options

Incorporate FGS prevention into PHC’s SRHR-related services, including HIV and cervical cancer prevention activities

Ensure gender- and culturally sensitive services for women and adolescents-

Provide opportunity and ensure training of health staff in basic human rights, gender and cultural sensitivity, including diversity, equity, and inclusion, as appropriate

Include community participation and perspectives, especially of FGS-affected individuals

Health services provide holistic and gender-sensitive high-quality care and treatment adapted to different needs throughout a woman’s lifespan, including for complications of FGS

Incorporate gender-sensitive, women and adolescent-friendly diagnostic and treatment services for FGS

Provide referrals, as required

Promote presumptive treatment with PZQ, as appropriate within local context

Ensure awareness of diagnostic options (syndromic vs. clinical)

Ensure awareness about PZQ and availability of treatment

Ensure adequate supply of PZQ and safe storage of PZQ, including during MDA

Training in administration of PZQ and other products available within the system for diagnosis and treatment of FGS as per “Competencies…” guidelines above

Training in colposcope diagnosis at appropriate (tertiary) levels of care

Procure and assure adequate supply of (PZQ for PHC) centers to expand its reach to women, adolescents, and out-of -school children

Weigh scales or dose-pole to calculate PQZ dosing

Microscopes available

Colposcopes available at appropriate levels of care

Impart broader information at time of MDA about risks of urogenital schistosomiasis

Provide more education to schools so that teachers can support MDA, if needed

Include FGS indicator within the HIS

Promote information-sharing among teachers, relevant community members, pharmacists, and health professionals in FGS affected areas

Prepare locally relevant information re WASH, MDA, FGS, and risks of infection

Encourage applied research questions on factors that encourage/discourage MDA participation and health seeking behaviour

Basic information for health staff training on FGS, emphasizing it is not an STI

Training of health staff on imparting and disseminating information on FGS in gender- and culturally sensitive way, adapted for communities, patients, partners, and families

Training of relevant health staff in basic FGS data collection, including ethical considerations

Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment available

Ensure that FGS is reported in national health information systems

Highlight and share within system research questions relating to aspects of diagnosis and treatment