Seven key actions to eradicate rheumatic heart disease in Africa: the Addis Ababa communiqué.

Seven key actions to eradicate rheumatic heart disease in Africa: the Addis Ababa communiqué. Cardiovasc J Afr. 2016 Jan 12;27:1-5 Authors: Watkins D, Zuhlke L, Engel M, Daniels R, Francis V, Shaboodien G, Kango M, Abul-Fadl A, Adeoye A, Ali S, Al-Kebsi M, Bode-Thomas F, Bukhman G, Damasceno A, Goshu DY, Elghamrawy A, Gitura B, Haileamlak A, Hailu A, Hugo-Hamman C, Justus S, Karthikeyan G, Kennedy N, Lwabi P, Mamo Y, Mntla P, Sutton C, Mocumbi AO, Mondo C, Mtaja A, Musuku J, Mucumbitsi J, Murango L, Nel G, Ogendo S, Ogola E, Ojji D, Olunuga TO, Redi MM, Rusingiza KE, Sani M, Sheta S, Shongwe S, van Dam J, Gamra H, Carapetis J, Lennon D, Mayosi BM Abstract Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remain major causes of heart failure, stroke and death among African women and children, despite being preventable and imminently treatable. From 21 to 22 February 2015, the Social Cluster of the Africa Union Commission (AUC) hosted a consultation with RHD experts convened by the Pan-African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to develop a 'roadmap' of key actions that need to be taken by governments to eliminate ARF and eradicate RHD in Africa. Seven priority areas for action were adopted: (1) create prospective disease registers at sentinel sites in affected countries to measure disease burden and track progress towards the reduction of mortality by 25% by the year 2025, (2) ensure an adequate supp...
Source: Cardiovascular Journal of Africa - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Cardiovasc J Afr Source Type: research