SHORT FILMS
Take Heart Africa Road to Addis
The Road to Addis speaks to the Africa Union’s ‘Addis Ababa Communique on eradication of Rheumatic Heart Disease in Africa’.
This short film features Professor Bongani Mayosi (South Africa), Dr John Musuku (Zambia) and Dr Liesl Zühlke (South Africa).
Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD), a completely preventable non-communicable disease (NCD), is the most common cause of acquired heart disease among children and young adults in Africa. RHD affects 1.5 – 3% of school-aged children, leaves more than 10% of affected individuals dead within 12 months of diagnosis, accounts for a substantial proportion of maternal mortality, and has an economic impact estimated at US$ 791 million – 2.37 billion in 2010.
Despite the adverse health and economic consequences of RHD, most African Union (AU) Member States do not yet have a comprehensive, integrated approach to acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and RHD prevention and control, nor have they achieved universal access to RHD care. Hence there remain a high degree of preventable morbidity, mortality, and economic loss that threatens the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and forthcoming Sustainable Development Goals in Africa.
TAKE HEART AFRICA ROAD TO ADDIS
Seven key actions for consideration by African Governments are:
1) Establish RHD registers
2) Ensure penicillin supply chain
3) Introduce reproductive health services
4) Decentralise technical expertise
5) Establish centres of excellence in cardiac surgery
6) Implement Ministry of Health led RHD control programmes
7) Cultivate partnerships
“For Africa, this is a significant moment where we have a political mandate to end Rheumatic Heart Disease,” Professor Bongani Mayosi.
Talk to your Minister of Health: You can make a difference.
Take Heart: The Quest to Rid Africa of Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD)
This short film was possible with the support fo Novartis and the Pan-African Society of Cardiology (PASCAR).
