Public Health Experts Call For Urgent Action On Rheumatic Fever

“With increasing cases of Rheumatic Fever, we need to take urgent action to eliminate Rheumatic Fever” says Sir Collin Tukuitonga, President of the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine (NZCPHM).

“We welcome Te Whatu Ora’s Rheumatic Fever Roadmap 2023-2028, but if we want to eliminate Rheumatic Fever, we need to address those wider social issues that impact on people’s health. For example, providing people with better homes that are dry and warm, addressing overcrowding in housing and acknowledging the inequities that exist in Aotearoa New Zealand” said Sir Collin.

“Most OECD countries have largely eliminated rheumatic fever. Aotearoa New Zealand can achieve the same outcome. It is not acceptable that Pacific and Māori kids are living with Rheumatic Fever in 2023” says Sir Collin.

Rheumatic fever is a serious but preventable illness. Rheumatic fever, if left untreated, can led to rheumatic heart disease, requiring hospitalisation.

“It is a life-impacting disease, but it can be treated effectively - if detected earlier enough” said Sir Collin. “In high-risk communities it is important that anyone with a sore throat, who has possibly been exposed to Rheumatic Fever, seeks medical advice”.

Sir Collin described some of the actions that can reduce Rheumatic Fever, and ultimately eliminate it:

• Ensure people have better access to primary care so Rheumatic Fever can be detected earlier.
• Conduct ongoing monitoring of the disease, including developing a national Rheumatic Fever Registrar, so we can track it more effectively.
• Invest in developing an effective vaccination.

“The NZCPHM also wants more work done to develop effective prevention programmes. This disease mainly affects Māori and Pacific children, and their communities must lead the health promotion and prevention activities to eliminate this infectious disease” said Sir Collin.

The NZCPHM recently published a

policy statement

highlighting a range of strategies to eliminate rheumatic fever in Aotearoa New Zealand.

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