No child with treatable heart disease should suffer or die.
Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) affects 55 million people globally and causes almost 400,000 deaths per year.
Our groundbreaking study, published in November 2021 in The New England Journal of Medicine, details how penicillin works to prevent the progression of early echo-detected RHD.
Millions of children are needlessly suffering from RHD. Heart Healers International is a leader in the fight to save them.
Learn About Rheumatic Heart Disease
What is RHD?
Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) is caused by our immune system’s abnormal reaction to Strep A (the cause of Strep throat), the fifth deadliest infectious disease in the world. Nearly 300,000 children and young adults die from RHD each year. Yet few people have ever heard of it – and it’s preventable. This is a reality that we cannot and will not accept.
Preventing RHD
With improved living conditions and basic treatments for Strep throat, developed nations have nearly eliminated RHD. But in low-resource regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa, millions suffer from rampant RHD. At Heart Healers International, we’re proving that comprehensive RHD control programs can work.
The Deadly Link
Through our award-winning research, and partnerships with medical practitioners and government officials, we are well-positioned to make a meaningful and lasting impact in Uganda in the fight against RHD. We aim to replicate the RHD care and prevention model we built in Uganda to stem the tragic loss of life caused by this completely treatable disease worldwide.
Any donation, no matter the size, will help contribute to the healing of children’s hearts around the world. Join us today.
What We Treat
Rheumatic Heart Disease
Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) is a preventable cardiovascular disease, caused by untreated strep throat and skin infections and is of epidemic proportion in sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly 400,000 children and young adults die from RHD each year. This is a reality that we cannot and will not accept.
Congenital Heart Defects
Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect, occurring in 1% of all children. With intervention (surgery or heart catheterization), many children with heart problems have a normal life expectancy and quality of life. Without treatment, these children will become progressively sicker and are unlikely to survive into adulthood.
About Heart Healers International
Heart Healers International is a non-profit organization in African countries bringing life-saving heart diagnostics and treatments to children. We also work alongside the local medical teams in caring for patients, conducting ongoing research, and providing education to ensure sustainability and success for the cardiac health of African children. May no child be left behind.
News & Updates
Updates from Heart Healers International
