25/03/10 - Survey finds heart cases
A SURVEY conducted by the Health Ministry has revealed that 4-8 per cent of primary school students have signs of rheumatic heart disease.
Colonial War Memorial Hospital pediatrician doctor Joseph Kado said a team of health officials had conducted a survey of primary school students between the ages of five to 14 in the past 18 months.
Dr Kado said the RHD Control Program was aimed at prevention of the disease in children and young adults in Fiji.
He made the comments at the Fiji Water Foundation office where he received a $30,000 grant for the project yesterday.
Dr Kado said RHD could be treated early to prevent any major heart surgery for children later in their life.
Rheumatic heart disease is the end result of rheumatic fever which can result from sore throat and it damages the heart valves which makes them leak or become stiff.
Dr Kado said the project was given a $100,000 grant from the Foundation last year from which they bought two echo machines to conduct cardiography tests on the children's heart.
Through echocardiography screening doctors could detect and refer children with abnormal heart pathology and valve morphology to treatment which would increase the capacity of the Ministry of Health to undertake routine RHD screening in this high prevalence region.
He said with the money given yesterday they would train three nurses as part of their pilot project whereby the nurses would be sent to schools to conduct heart screening and at the same time detect any signs of RHD.
Source: FIJI TIMES. March 25, 2010.
Colonial War Memorial Hospital pediatrician doctor Joseph Kado said a team of health officials had conducted a survey of primary school students between the ages of five to 14 in the past 18 months.
Dr Kado said the RHD Control Program was aimed at prevention of the disease in children and young adults in Fiji.
He made the comments at the Fiji Water Foundation office where he received a $30,000 grant for the project yesterday.
Dr Kado said RHD could be treated early to prevent any major heart surgery for children later in their life.
Rheumatic heart disease is the end result of rheumatic fever which can result from sore throat and it damages the heart valves which makes them leak or become stiff.
Dr Kado said the project was given a $100,000 grant from the Foundation last year from which they bought two echo machines to conduct cardiography tests on the children's heart.
Through echocardiography screening doctors could detect and refer children with abnormal heart pathology and valve morphology to treatment which would increase the capacity of the Ministry of Health to undertake routine RHD screening in this high prevalence region.
He said with the money given yesterday they would train three nurses as part of their pilot project whereby the nurses would be sent to schools to conduct heart screening and at the same time detect any signs of RHD.
Source: FIJI TIMES. March 25, 2010.
