Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease: Where are we now in South Africa?

Abstract

Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease:Where are we now in South Africa?The ASAP programme collaborates with other similar programmes of the World Heart Federation (WHF) globally, and has also been adopted by the Inter Academy Medical Panel as one of six global programmes.Following the Drakensberg meeting, there has been renewed interest among cardiologists, other medical and public health professionals, the community and most importantly, government to be proactive in combating RF and RHD. Scale of RF/RHDOver the last 150 years the developed world has experienced a dramatic decline in the incidence and prevalence of RF/RHD through improved living conditions and the widespread use of penicillin for the treatment of group A beta haemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis.However, developing countries, which account for 80% of the world's population, continue to face unacceptably