Fostering Public Awareness For Rheumatic Heart Disease In Zambia: Progress And Lessons Learned

Introduction Rheumatic heart disease (RHD), a condition associated with poverty and social inequity, affects more than 30 million people globally and is the main cause of heart disease in young people in Africa. RHD is preventable by appropriate treatment of Streptococcal pharyngitis and, as such, the public has an essential role to play in seeking skilled care promptly so that effective therapy can be received. Objectives As part of a multi-faceted public-private effort to combat RHD in Zambia, we initiated a public awareness program in 2014 that had national reach. We sought to record progress and assess results and lessons learned for the purpose of informing …