At 43 years old, a Clinical Officer at Homa Bay County Teaching and Referral Hospital, became more than a service provider, she became a patient searching for answers. She had endured lower abdominal pain, abnormal vaginal discharge and spotting. Despite numerous hospital visits, including the renowned Kenyatta National Hospital, she found no respite. She got the same prescription during each doctor’s visit, antibiotics. This was stressful and exhausting as I could tell from her voice. It was a real burden!

One day on her routine duties at the hospital, she decided to explore a family planning method to regulate what she thought was a hormonal imbalance, causing the spotting. She visited the sought-after family planning services at her workplace, where Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) management had recently been integrated. A trained health provider suggested a pelvic examination, which she accepted. This decision changed everything.

For the first time, she received an accurate diagnosis. FGS. She was prescribed Praziquantel treatment and within weeks, her symptoms began to resolve. She was healed two months later. Her joy was evident “…Thank you so much LVCT team!”  These were always her words.

Her story did not end there. Inspired by her healing, she became an FGS champion, determined to sensitize her colleagues and patients about FGS.

Transforming knowledge into action

To bridge the significant gaps in diagnosing and managing FGS, this Clinical Officer adopted innovative methods to raise awareness, such as;

• Integrating FGS training into Cervical Cancer Screenings: By incorporating FGS skills into pelvic examination workshops, she helped health workers who are allowed to conduct pelvic examination workshops, she further, helped healthcare workers distinguish FGS from STIs, UTIs and cervical cancer, significantly enhancing diagnostic accuracy
• Continuous Medical Education (CMEs): Through ongoing training sessions, she equipped her peers with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify and manage FGS effectively. play a crucial role in enhancing knowledge and skills for managing FGS
• Health talks: She engaged clients through informative discussions at the hospital, increasing the uptake of pelvic examinations and early FGS diagnosis

Closing the Gaps

This Clinical Officer’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, accurate diagnosis and health literacy. From patient to champion, she exemplifies the transformative potential of knowledge and care. Her story is not just about healing, it’s about leading by example and creating a ripple effect of awareness, competence and hope for women affected by FGS.  “Giving health talks to clients at the Hospital has increased the uptake of pelvic examinations to diagnose FGS”

There has been a big skills and knowledge gap in diagnosing FGS at all levels of the health care system. Health literacy efforts by the MoH and the Homa Bay Health Department have contributed tremendously in bridging these gaps. The Continuing Medical Education (CMEs), client information sessions and pelvic examination training have proved to be effective and sustainable interventions for improving the knowledge and skills for managing FGS.

Written by Millicent Oswe, a Research Assistant at LVCT Health