NZ rheumatic boost
December 14, 2011
THE New Zealand Government
has doubled funding for rheumatic
fever to $24m over four years.
Welcoming the move Pharmacy
Guild of New Zealand Chief
Executive, Annabel Young, said
“rheumatic fever is a developing
world problem and we should all
be embarrassed that it is a
problem in this country”.
Rheumatic fever is caused by a
reaction to the throat infection
streptococcus, and around 70% of
children who get the fever will have
some heart damage that can lead
to rheumatic heart disease.
Almost all instances of the
disease are preventable, with
proper treatment of a sore throat
reducing the risk by about 80%.
“We should be fighting this
problem on every front and
community pharmacy offers one
route to identify affected patients
and get them to treatment,” she said.
“Pharmacists are the health
professional that people see most
often, they are accessible and
perfectly placed to engage
communities with rheumatic fever
advice and early detection through
throat swabbing,” she added.
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