LISSSD 2025 Rheumatic Heart Disease Interventions for Prevention in Africa: Current Status and Future Priorities (124037)
Africa remains a hotspot for Rheumatic Heart Disease Prevalence globally while concomitantly having the lowest resources to combat this disease, with a low health worker-to-patient ratio, limited access to interventions such as cardiac surgery, and competing health priorities. In this talk, we will outline the status of intervention efforts in the WHO Afro and EMRO region, highlight some essential findings and work from African countries with global relevance, and report on the current population level estimates from South Africa. We will present these as per the Wyber et al. 5X5 framework for Rheumatic Heart Disease, which is grounded in primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention but underpinned by social determinants of health, research, and advocacy. Finally, we will discuss future priorities that are of specific relevance to the African setting but also have global applications.
Emphasis will be placed on the innovative strategies employed to close the gap in healthcare delivery, including the deployment of community health workers, the integration of digital health tools, and the establishment of partnerships between the public and private sectors. These measures aim to enhance early detection, timely treatment, and ongoing management of Rheumatic Heart Disease in resource-limited settings. Moreover, collaboration with international organizations and local governments is pivotal in scaling up successful interventions and ensuring sustainability.
