Primary Prevention of Acate Rheumatic Fever

Abstract

Summary: Levels of health consciousness among, and health facilities available to 40 children with rheumatic heart disease were evaluated. Seventy-five per cent of the patients had health facilities located within 15 kilometres of their homes while the rest had such facilities located within 60 kilometres. However, ade quate health facilities were available to only 55% of them. Ninety-five per cent of the patients belonged to the low or middle socio-economic classes, and their levels of health consciousness were generally low. It is suggested that strategies for primary prevention of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease should take cogni sance of these suboptimal socio-economic conditions. Thus, such strategies should include health education, campaigns aimed at facilitating early recognition of pharyngitis, improvement in health facilities, and a programme of penicillin therapy for all cases of pharyngitis in children susceptible to acute rheumatic fever.