Experience and insights of schistosomiasis elimination in Yujiang County of Jiangxi Province—Commemoration of the 60th anniversary of publishing Chairman Mao Zedong’s two poems“Farewell to the God of Plague” / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

ABSTRACT

Schistosomiasis is one of the major infectious diseases that seriously endanger the health of people, and social and economic development. Before the year of 1949, Yujiang County of Jiangxi Province was one of hyper-endemic regions for schistosomiasis. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, under the leadership and high attention of the Chinese Communist Party and the government, after the arduous struggle with schistosomiasis, Yujiang County became the first county that reached the standard of eradication of schistosomiasis in 1958. Moreover, Chairman Mao Zedong gladly wrote the famous poem of "Farewell to the God of Plague". Since then, the work of schistosomiasis control has been greatly inspired by the poem. In 2016, Yujiang County became the first county of schistosomiasis elimination in Jiangxi Province. In this paper, the experience and process of eradication and elimination of schistosomiasis in Yujiang County are systematically reviewed and summarized by analyzing the endemic situation of schistosomiasis before and after the eradication and elimination in Yujiang County, to expound the significance and enlightenment of the schistosomiasis control in Yujiang County. This paper commemorates the 60th anniversary of the publication of Mao Zedong’s poem.