The first mass drug administration campaign for schistosomiasis control in Lagos, Nigeria: lessons for future control programmes

Summary

This article summarises the lessons learned during the first effective schistosomiasis mass drug administration (MDA) campaign in Lagos, one of the most urbanised states in Nigeria.

The MDA targeting 1.45 million children between the ages of 5 and 15 was implemented in seven endemic districts of the state, using a sub-district/ward-level implementation approach. Therapeutic coverage was optimal (>75%) across all the implementation districts.

The authors provide possible directions for the implementation of schistosomiasis control by programmes and agencies at sub-district/ward-level in a cosmopolitan and urbanised state, like that of Lagos.