Understanding the Etiology of Heart Failure Among the Rural Poor in Sub-Saharan Africa: A 10-Year Experience From District Hospitals in Rwanda.

Eberly LA, Rusingiza E, Park PH, Ngoga G, Dusabeyezu S, Mutabazi F, Harerimana E, Mucumbitsi J, Nyembo PF, Borg R, Gahamanyi C, Mutumbira C, Ntaganda E, Rusangwa C, Kwan GF, Bukhman G. Understanding the Etiology of Heart Failure Among the Rural Poor in Sub-Saharan Africa: A 10-Year Experience From District Hospitals in Rwanda. Journal of cardiac failure. 2018 Oct 10. PMID: 30312764 [PubMed]

Abstract

Heart failure is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Our understanding of the heart failure burden in this region has been limited mainly to registries from urban referral centers. Starting in 2006, a nurse-driven strategy was initiated to provide echocardiography and decentralized heart failure care within noncommunicable disease (NCD) clinics in rural district hospitals in Rwanda.