February 26, 2017
Housing at heart of rheumatic fever scourge
New Zealand’s rheumatic fever epidemic is as much a housing crisis as a health crisis.
That’s the word from Te Ora chair Dr Rawiri Jansen, who helped designed the Mana Kidz prevention programme.
He says the epicentre of the epidemic is in south Auckland, where the programme targeting primary and intermediate schools has led to a reduction in sore throats turning into rheumatic fever.
But rates are rising again for 13 to 19 year olds in Counties Manukau not covered by the programme, and for children in other parts of Auckland.
"What we’re seeing is it's driven by the Auckland crisis. More people in the house just increases the risk. What do we do about the housing? We've got to get busy and talk about it and we've got to get these sore throats checked," Dr Jansen says.
Rheumatic fever can cut 10 years off a person’s life because of the damage it can do to the heart.
FULL INTERVIEW WITH RAWIRI JANSEN
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