Rheumatic heart disease - Demonstration projects
Rheumatic heart disease is the most common acquired cardiovascular disease in children and young adults and remains a major public health problem in developing countries. It kills some 350,000 people a year and leaves hundreds of thousands of people with debilitating heart disease. Together with the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Heart Federation has co-funded RHD prevention and treatment projects in many countries, including Benin, Brazil, Cuba, Romania, Vietnam and Vanuatu. It currently is implementing rheumatic heart disease control demonstration projects in the South Pacific and Africa. View the latest reports below.
Africa Rheumatic Fever Week 2007
South Pacific RHD Programme Report December 2007
Demonstrating the effectiveness of secondary prevention
The World Heart Federation's rheumatic heart disease programmes aim to reduce the incidence of rheumatic fever and the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease through a transferable model for secondary prevention and practical support. This includes
- Providing programme support and technical assistance to local Governments to establish comprehensive and sustainable RHD control programmes.
- Developing best practice resources and training materials. These materials are designed to instruct key public health staff about how to establish and maintain rheumatic heart disease control programmes based on secondary prevention of acute rheumatic fever.
- Maintaining an online RHD resource network that provides tools and training materials that can be used worldwide for rheumatic disease control.
Helping countries strengthen rheumatic heart disease control
Demonstration sites are established in collaboration with Ministries of Health following an initial survey to determine the burden of disease, community participation and capacity of primary health care centers. Their activities involve:
- Identifying cases of known or suspected ARF and RHD
- Maintaining a centralized register of all known cases
- Standardizing guidelines for monitoring and improving delivery of secondary prophylaxis and medical management
- Training key health workers and maintaining a skilled health workforce
- Educating people with ARF/RHD and their families
- Promoting awareness of ARF/RHD in the community
- Evaluating and reporting the effectiveness of RHD control activities
- Reporting epidemiological data
Fostering a regional approach to preventing rheumatic heart disease
Experience gained and materials developed in the programmes are shared in regional meetings with practitioners and public health officials in neighbouring countries. Success of regional training initiatives relies on government involvement, a competent rheumatic heart disease technical advisory committee that facilitates and oversees the programme; and commitment of the pharmaceutical industry to ensure availability and distribution of quality penicillin.
Rheumatic heart disease control in the Pacific Islands
In the Pacific Island nations, the RHD prevalence is amongst the highest in the world. Because few Pacific Island countries have the capacity to provide heart valve surgery domestically, most spend between 4-12% of their total health budgets repairing valve damage from RHD. The World Heart Federation Rheumatic Heart Disease Control Programme in the South Pacific has demonstration sites in Fiji and Samoa.
A Paediatrician in Tonga, Dr Toakase Fakakovikaetau is the 2008 recipient of ProCor’s Louise Lown Heart Hero Award on behalf of the Rheumatic Heart Disease Prevention Programme activities developed by the Ministry of Health in Tonga. The award recognises innovative, preventive approaches to cardiovascular health in developing countries.
Rheumatic heart disease control in Africa
Africa is the home of the largest number of people affected by RHD. In sub-Saharan Africa, over a million children suffer from the disease, and few can get the medical care needed to survive and lead normal lives. The World Heart Federation Rheumatic Heart Disease Control Programme in Africa is setting up demonstration sites in Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana and South Africa.
