New tool to determine cost-effective control of rheumatic heart disease

Based on recent estimates, there are about 32 million cases of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) worldwide, which cause 275,000 deaths per year. Effective drugs and surgical procedures to prevent and treat the disease exist, but they can be expensive and are under-used in the resource-poor settings where disease burden is highest. A study introduces a tool that helps health officials to make smart decisions on prevention and treatment of RHD.