Dar es Salaam, Sept. 18 -- CONGENITAL heart disease (CHD) is an enormous problem in low and middle-income countries, and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where children who are afflicted may struggle to receive the proper treatment.

The journal Frontiers in Pediatrics reports that there is an estimated 500,000 children born in Africa with CHD each year, with a major proportion in sub-Saharan Africa. Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the leading cause of acquired heart disease and is an ongoing concern in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting especially the younger population.

Proper treatment is essential to improve the outcomes for these children, as both conditions contribute substantially to morbidity and mortality during infanthood and ch...