A University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville cardiothoracic surgeon is helping physicians in Rwanda develop guidelines on how to treat heart disease in their country.
Constance Haan, M.D., a UF associate professor of surgery and senior associate dean of educational affairs, was invited to the East African nation in early July to provide the opening address for the 12th annual meeting of the Rwandan Medical Association. Joseph Mucumbitsi, M.D., founder of the Rwandan Heart Foundation and organizer of the 2008 meeting, requested her presence at the event.
During her visit, Haan made two presentations on gender differences in cardiovascular risk factors and on cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines. The focus of the meeting was to develop a strategy for the country’s physicians to address hypertension, rheumatic heart disease, heart failure and cardiovascular disease prevention.
While all of these diseases are prevalent in the US, rheumatic heart disease is one of the most common medical conditions in Africa. The leading cause of this disease in Rwanda is untreated strep throat caused by a lack of access to medications, such as penicillin. There are also not enough surgical procedures performed to save those who develop rheumatic heart disease.
Another form of heart disease, congestive heart failure, is also very common in Rwanda. The average age of patients diagnosed with heart failure in Rwanda is 35. Guidelines will help Rwandan physicians to take a proactive approach to treating these potentially fatal diseases.
Following the meeting, Haan met the country’s leader, President Paul Kagame, and participated in a community health awareness day with the country’s first lady, Jeannette Kagame. Haan also provided a radio interview that was used as a public service announcement to promote heart-healthy living. She presented the “Go Red for Women” campaign that helps raise awareness of heart disease in women in the US.
While in Kigali, Rwanda, she spent time at King Faisal Hospital, learning about their quality improvement efforts, and especially about the efforts underway to achieve hospital accreditation. Hospital accreditation is part of the development process toward becoming a center of excellence and the one tertiary referral center in the country for the network of district hospitals.
This was Haan’s second trip to the country in ten months. Her initial visit was to learn about the rebuilding and redevelopment of communities, economy, education and healthcare since the genocide in 1994.