April 26
Rheumatic diseases in Africa: a health challenge starting with humanitarian aid
Rheumatic Diseases in Africa: A Public Health Challenge That Begins with Humanitarian Aid Rheumatic diseases remain one of the major public health emergencies in sub-Saharan African countries, particularly in the Horn of Africa and in nations such as Ghana, where the healthcare system struggles to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment. Humanitarian aid therefore plays a vital role in addressing an issue that is often underestimated but has devastating effects on the population, especially among the youngest. THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT, WE SAVE THE LIVES OF DOZENS OF CHILDREN EVERY YEAR. HELP US DO EVEN MORE. Countries 0 Children operated on 0 Children examined 0 + What Are Rheumatic Diseases? Rheumatic diseases are inflammatory conditions that can affect joints, bones, muscles, and, in more severe cases, vital organs such as the heart. In Africa, the most common form is rheumatic fever, a complication of streptococcal infections that are not treated properly. If not diagnosed and treated in time, rheumatic fever can progress to rheumatic heart disease, causing irreversible damage to the heart valves.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO), rheumatic heart disease is responsible for over 300,000 deaths worldwide each year, primarily affecting children and young adults in low-income countries.  HELP US DO EVEN MORE Every donation is essential to us. YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE, TOO The impact of rheumatic diseases in Africa In the Horn of Africa and in many parts of Africa in general, rheumatic fever remains one of the leading causes of heart failure in young people. This is due to several reasons: Late or absent diagnoses. A shortage of antibiotics to treat streptococcal infections. Low health awareness among rural populations. Humanitarian aid in East Africa is increasingly focusing on primary prevention programs (timely treatment of infections) and secondary prevention (early diagnosis of heart damage). Furthermore, the strong correlation between poverty, lack of access to care, and the spread of infections makes the problem even more difficult to curb without the support of humanitarian aid organizations.  Horn of Africa: A Highly Vulnerable Context The Horn of Africa, one of the continent’s most fragile regions, is characterized by many of the conditions that favor the spread of rheumatic diseases: Widespread poverty. Limited access to basic health services. Overcrowding in schools and housing, which facilitates the transmission of infections. In these contexts, humanitarian aid is no longer limited to emergency response but aims to build sustainable public health programs capable of identifying risks early and reducing the incidence of cardiac complications. Investing in the prevention of rheumatic fever in the Horn of Africa means not only saving lives but also alleviating the burden on national health systems, thereby improving the resilience of the most vulnerable communities.  Conclusion Rheumatic diseases in Africa, and particularly in the Horn of Africa, represent a major public health challenge that is still too often overlooked. Humanitarian aid plays an essential role in promoting strategies for the prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of infections that lead to serious cardiac complications. Addressing this emergency means looking beyond individual interventions and focusing on sustainable projects capable of structurally improving public health in the most fragile regions. This is what remains of the only ambulance in the city of Nemirov, Ukraine. A fragment of a Russian missile, partially destroyed by Ukrainian forces, fatally struck the emergency response vehicle. For a community like Nemirov, this is a very serious social tragedy.  That is why, as Pobic, we have donated—on an emergency basis—an ambulance that had been decommissioned in Italy but remains fully operational. Professor Mikola Segeda, president of the Pobic Ukraine Foundation, has taken charge of driving the vehicle to its destination.  This is just the first step. HELP US DO EVEN MORE Every donation is essential to us. YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE, TOO
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