From endemic shadows to the light of dawn: the 120-year journey of China's anti-schistosomiasis chariot

Schistosomiasis was first reported in the People's Republic of China (P.R. China) 120 years ago. The national programme of schistosomiasis control started in mid-1950s. The transmission interruption was achieved by 2023. Here we summarize the experience as the five core parts of a running chariot. While the specific historical context of P.R. China's way of schistosomiasis control may be difficult to replicate, the experiences gained underscore several critical principles that might be applicable elsewhere.