JKCI to conduct heart screening in four regions
Four regions in the country will benefit from rheumatic heart disease screening scheduled to commence in the next two months.
The screening will be conducted by the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI) as a measure geared towards preventing the complication among children.
JKCI Director of Cardiology, Dr Peter Kisenge, told the ‘Daily News’ in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the service set to commence in June, this year, is also intended to benefit the rural communities. According to experts, rheumatic heart disease is a complication of rheumatic fever, in which the heart valves are damaged.
The disease is reported to be common in children aged between 10 and 18 years. He said to start with, the JKCI specialists will provide the service in four regions of Arusha, Singida, Manyara and Lindi respectively.
“We have decided to start with these four regions because most of the patients with the complication are coming from these areas,” Dr Kisenge said.
He said that the specialists will visit various schools to conduct the screening to students and in hospitals where it will be easier for them to get the patients. Dr Kisenge further said that after completing the exercise in the four regions, the institute will extend the service to other regions, depending on availability of funds.
Early this year, JKCI Director of Surgical Services, Dr Bashir Nyangasa, said that apart from conducting various camps in partnership with surgeons from abroad, plans were underway to reach the rural communities He noted that the screening in upcountry regions will focus mostly on students as the disease is reported to be common among the group.
Dr Nyangasa said that plans to conduct rheumatic heart disease screening to students will be implemented in this financial year, noting that his institute will soon release the schedule indicating schools that will benefit from the programme. Dr Nyangasa said JKCI in collaboration with the government will visit various schools to conduct screening to the students.
He said apart from conducting screening, JKCI doctors will also provide education particularly on preventive measures to students, parents/ guardians and other members of the public.
He cautioned that if preventive measures will not be instituted earlier, in 20 years’ time the country will have a large number of people suffering from the disease.