A community-based participatory research and community health workers-led health education strategy for schistosomiasis control among schoolchildren in Pemba Island, Zanzibar: a cluster-randomized trial

Background

Schistosomiasis remains an intractable public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. While mass drug administration (MDA) has been the cornerstone of control, its limited impact on sustained behavioral change and persistent transmission in high-intensity transmission areas underscores the urgent need for complementary strategies. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach led by community health workers (CHWs), compared to conventional health education, in achieving sustainable schistosomiasis control among schoolchildren in Pemba, Zanzibar.