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7 August 2008

Health Minister, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang will on Friday, 8 August launch the Mobile Heart Diseases Clinic at the Vanguard Demonstration Site in Langa, Cape Town as part of joint efforts between the Department of Health and the University of Cape Town (Medical School) to address rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart diseases amongst children.

The project, currently piloted in Langa and Bonteheuwel in the Cape Flats, is geared at dealing with the increasing incidence of rheumatic fever and associated rheumatic heart diseases threatening the lives of young children who are burdened by poverty, over-crowding and poor housing in the country.

Amongst other objectives, this project is aimed at:

* raising the awareness of the public and health workers about rheumatic heart diseases and their increase
* working towards the establishment of national primary and secondary prevention programmes for rheumatic heart diseases; and
* improving the quality of information available on the incidence, prevalence and burden of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart diseases through surveillance.

The fully equipped mobile clinic will visit schools in Langa and Bonteheuwel to screen young children for heart conditions that may lead to heart failures in early adult life. Depending on the progress of the pilot project, there are plans to roll the project to other areas of the Western Cape and the country.

The Health Minister will be accompanied at the launch by the MEC of Health in the Western Cape, Mr Marius Fransman, President of the Medical Research Council and academics from the University of Cape Town Medical School.

Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the launch scheduled to take place as follows:

Date: 8 August 2008
Time: 10h30
Venue: Isilimela Comprehensive High School, Langa, Cape Town

For more information, please contact:
Fidel Hadebe
Cell: 079 517 3333

Issued by: Department of Health
7 August 2008