Flavia Kamalembo a trained nurse at the Uganda Heart Institute Mulago Hospital Complex and a mother of two was diagnosed with Rheumatic Heart Disease. “I was diagnosed five years back, I lived with episodes of denial. People think to have a heart disease you are a gone case, things have ended there.” Said, Flavia Kamalembo – Patient with Rheumatic Heart Disease. Tom Okello a resident of Tororo was suffering from the same heart complication. “In fact two days my blood was flowing at will.” Said, Tom Okello – Patient with Rheumatic Heart Disease. “You can live with the disease and still be productive and impact lives.” Said Flavia. Medical Research conducted in Uganda in 2013 indicated that 1.8 million Ugandans were diagnosed with Rheumatic Heart Disease. Of this number; 306,000 people died. “When people get sour throat, sometimes you don’t realize that you have got a cough or you got a sour throat. It progresses if you don’t treat vigorously, it progresses slowly and over time it affects the valves in the heart.” Said, Dr. Joyce Kaducu Moriku – State Minister for Health.

The Uganda Heart Institute at Mulago Hospital had been the central place for medical care. Now, the advanced technology which the Heart Institute acquired would make it easy to diagnose and detect Rheumatic Heart Disease. “This is a modern Ultra Sound, a modern machine that has been brought up as a result of innovation that can detect whether the heart or the valves are working well or there is a problem in the heart.” Said the State Minister for Health. According to the Director of Mulago Heart Institute Dr. John Omagino, trained nurses could also use the device. “We have it in Gulu, Lira, and now we are rolling out in Mbarara and our next target is Mbale. You can move with them in a pocket, in a bag, and go and do all these interventions. She is able to take the ECGs, she is able to listen to the heart.” Said, Dr. John Omagino – Director, Uganda Heart Institute.

Rheumatic Heart Disease commonly manifests among people between the age of 5 and 35 years, however, experts said it could be controlled once detected early. “So it has robbed the country of the most productive age group people and once we have detected it we can treat, it is something that can cure.” Said the State Minister for Health. The survey conducted in Gulu this year revealed shocking results of the 2,456 people who tested, it was discovered that 61 children and 56 adults tested positive for Rheumatic Heart Disease.