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A core objective of BRIGHT Academy is to share our results, progress, and to increase the knowledge about Bilharzia.

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Although the situations portrayed on this website are typical of the research none of the persons in this website are research patients (study participants). None of the persons portrayed in the treatment and investigative situations are minors. They have kindly given their permissions to publish the images.
Kinldy credit photographer Håvard Holme.


Critical PhD

Dr Hashini Galappaththi-Arachchige defended her doctoral thesis where she explored the accuracy of different diagnostic tools. She found that we must find other methods to identify Female Genital Schistosomiasis. She described how river water contact is associated with genital symptoms in adolescent girls and young women in rural South Africa. ## Dean of University of Oslo Professor Borghild Roald leads the prossession, followed by Prof Charles King (Case Western University, United States), Prof Kyllike Christensen (Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden), Professor Annetine Staff (University of Oslo, Norway) and PhD Candidate Hashini Nilushika Galappaththi-Arachchige (Medical doctor, PhD) Sri Lanka/Norway/South... read more

On making FGS diagnosis accessible

Patients with Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) are not being diagnosed, neither in rural health care nor in university hospitals.       We are on the brink of making FGS diagnosis accessible where the patients are:    (a) the WHO Pocket Atlas for FGS has been given to every African country but for the Portuguese version, which is in press.    (b) clinicians have started using or WHO Pocket Atlas for FGS.    (c) the UNAIDS has invited FGS diagnosis, prevention and management into their clinics.    (d) FGS has for the first time been incorporated into the health professionals’ curricula, starting with nurses’ curriculum  in Ethiopia.    (e) more than 400 gynaecologists have had it as part of their colposcopy training in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Dr Pamela Mbabazi from the World Health Organisation leads a session on Female Genital Schistosomiasis. In the panel Professor Tchuem-tchuente and a group of... read more

Joining hands to prevent cervical cancer

Prof Motshedisi has her work cut out for her with 3 epidemics in KwaZulu-Natal that contribute to cervical cancer: (1) Human Papillomavirus – we have a vaccine for children, this has been rolled out. (2) HIV – we have ART, this is available. (3) Schistosomiaisis – we can prevent it with Praziquantel in childhood, this is still needs to be managed.... read more