PhD Degree Awarded to Mr. Waleed Mohammed Al-Muraisi in Community Medicine

Mr. Waleed Mohammed Saleh Al-Muraisi was awarded a PhD degree in Community Medicine for his dissertation titled: The Burden of Schistosomiasis among Schoolchildren in Low- and Moderate-Endemic Communities after Ten Rounds of Mass Drug Administration in Yemen, which was submitted to the Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences–Sana’a University. The dissertation defense was held on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
The PhD Viva-Voce Committee, which was formed based on a resolution issued by the Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Council, consisted of the following:

# Committee Members Designation Position
1 Assoc. Prof. Abdullah Abdulaziz Muharram Internal Examiner Chair
2 Prof. Yahya Ahmed Raja Main Supervisor Member
3 Dr. Abdulkhaliq Ahmed Obadi External Examiner Member

The dissertation aimed to:
 Assess the burden of schistosomiasis among schoolchildren in low- and moderate-endemic districts.
 Identify the social, demographic, behavioral, and environmental predictors associated with schistosomiasis infection.
 Compare current prevalence rates with data from the 2014 national survey.
 Evaluate the impact of ten rounds of preventive mass drug administration on disease prevalence and transmission.
The study yielded several key findings summarized as follows:
 The overall prevalence of schistosomiasis increased from 3.2% in 2014 to 20.1% in 2025.
 All districts previously classified as low-endemic had shifted to moderate-endemic status.
 Mass drug administration alone was insufficient to interrupt disease transmission, highlighting the need for integrated interventions that combine treatment with health education, improved sanitation services, and access to safe water.
In light of these findings, the researcher recommended the following:
 Continuing regular preventive mass treatment programs, with particular attention to populations at higher risk of infection.
 Adopting a comprehensive national strategy that integrates treatment, health education, water supply improvements, and environmental sanitation measures.
 Strengthening coordination among government sectors, development partners, and local communities to ensure the sustainability of schistosomiasis control efforts and reduce disease transmission.
The dissertation defense was attended by a number of academics, researchers, and specialists, students, colleagues, and the researcher’s family.