Activities

Promoting cost-effective prevention of rheumatic heart disease

Secondary prevention, which effectively prevents the recurrence of rheumatic fever, has been shown to be the most cost-effective approach to preventing rheumatic heart disease in low-resource settings.  The Scientific Council on Rheumatic Heart Disease focuses on the developing countries where the burden of the disease is still high, and encourages the expansion of rheumatic heart disease control programmes focusing on secondary prevention.

Demonstrating the feasibility of register-based secondary prevention

The Council supports demonstration programmes. Two projects are currently under way in the Pacific, and more are being set Africa, with a view to expanding to Asia and Latin America.

The projects establish and maintain register-based control programmes, train health care providers on the diagnosis and management of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease and work to improve community awareness of the consequences of rheumatic heart disease and the importance of compliance with secondary prophylaxis. Case registers and training materials tested in the demonstration projects are then shared with health care practitioners and public health officials from neighbouring countries in regional training workshops, and the World Heart Federation gives technical assistance in adapting the tools and materials to their own programmes.  These activities are designed to help public health officials collect relevant epidemiological data and establish and maintain register-based control programmes, without needing substantially increased funding.

Fostering global exchange on rheumatic heart disease control

To develop a global exchange on rheumatic disease control and to share the experiences, tools (register data bases), guidelines, and other resources developed through the demonstration projects, the Council has developed the World Heart Federation Global Centre of Excellence on Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease. The Centre of Excellence makes rheumatic heart disease resources available free of charge for practitioners involved in rheumatic heart disease control around the world. The Centre of Excellence invites submissions of materials and resources from other programmes, as well.

The Council also encourages scientific exchange on rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease by organizing sessions on the subject in the World Congress of Cardiology.

Improving quality and supply of Benzathine Penicillin G

Problems of quality and supply of Benzathine Penicillin G are a serious constraint in building up rheumatic heart disease control programmes. The Council is addressing issues surrounding the global supply and quality of Benzathine Penicillin G, which is essential for preventing recurrent acute rheumatic fever and worsening heart disease in people with existing acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease.