Rheumatic Heart Team Thanked

Fijian medical staff Dr Sainimere Boladuadua and senior Nurse Frances Matanatabu have been acknowledged for their work in conducting medical training in the Solomon Islands earlier this week.

Through the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau (SIVB) and Rotary Club, the two medical staff led the fight against rheumatic heart disease (RHD).

A press statement from the SIVB said this was a partnership with Solomon Airlines which enabled the specialist Fijian medical team to visit the Hapi Isles in order to train local medical staff to prevent the heart ailment.

It is understood that both Dr. Boladuadua and staff nurse Matanatabu were from the RHD Prevention and Control Programme. The two’s effort have been hailed a major success with close to 40 local medical staff attending a two-day workshop at the National Referral Hospital.

Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that may affect many connective tissues of the body, especially those of the heart, joints, brain or skin and usually occurs in children between the ages of five and 16 years. According to the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) the Solomon Islands has a high burden of rheumatic heart disease where prevalence of the condition is high affecting 24 cases per 1000 children.

This included epidemiology, risk factors, acute rheumatic fever causes, diagnosis, treatment, RHD diagnosis and management, primordial, primary and secondary prevention. Dr Boladuadua thanked SIVB, Solomon Airlines and Rotary Club for making the mission possible.

Edited by Mohammed Zulfikar