On Wednesday, September 29, Rwanda joined the rest of the world to observe World Heart Day, an event that was for the second time running marked as the world struggles to fight Covid-19. According to the World Heart Federation (WHF), cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the world’s number one killer, accounting for an average 18.6 million deaths a year globally. For the 520 million people living with CVD in the world, Covid-19 has been heartbreaking. They have been more at-risk of developing severe forms of the virus, and many have been afraid to attend routine and emergency appointments, and have become isolated from friends and family. The theme for this year is “use your heart to connect” and the global foundation is calling on the international community to bring digital cardiovascular health services to millions worldwide in order to decrease mortality from the world’s biggest killer. WHF believes this digital transformation presents a pivotal opportunity for millions of people living with cardiovascular disease from lower income backgrounds who have little access to in-person consultation. Prof. Joseph Mucumbitsi, the President of Rwanda Heart Foundation (RHF) which is a member of WHF, said that the federation and different cardiologists have organized campaigns to educate people living with cardiovascular and other non-communicable diseases about the higher risk they have to get Covid-19 that can result in severe complications, hospitalization or death. “We have educated them about the need to continue taking all prescribed medicines and follow all required medical visits even during lockdowns,” he said. “We have been also insisting on the need to continue with all preventive measures for CVDs, including physical activity, stopping tobacco and alcohol use, and eating healthy food, particularly during lockdowns.” The Rwanda Heart Foundation (RHF), in a press release, called for continued access to early diagnosis and care for people living with CVDs, who are at higher risk for Covid-19 complications and death, giving them priority for Covid-19 vaccination. “We call also for better access and engagement in using all media and digital platforms to mobilize and encourage communities and families for a healthier lifestyle and a better understanding and control of major CVD risk factors, including unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco and harmful use of alcohol,” reads another part of the press release. We believe that any strategy for sustainable behaviour and lifestyle change has to focus on family members. Why full treatment is necessary In 2006, Ernest Simpunga, 31, was told by doctors that he had cardio-vascular disease after going through a scan. It was after he started facing heart difficulties and found it hard to walk especially when it came to hilly areas. At both the University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK) and King Faisal Hospital, he was told that two of the four chambers of his heart were damaged and needed to be replaced through surgery. He was told that this complication was due to negligence when it came to completing the full regimen of the drugs earlier prescribed to him. He was told that he needed to pay Rwf15 million to undergo a surgery in India which was expensive. He waited until 2008 when some international cardiologists came to King Faisal Hospital to offer heart surgery services. He underwent a successful procedure and after two weeks, he was able to start working as usual and he went back to school and committed to pursue health-related subjects like Mathematics Chemistry and Biology (MCB) in advanced level of secondary schools and Medicine at the University of Rwanda in order to save other people’s lives. He is currently a genealogist at Kaduha Hospital in Nyamagabe District. He advises people to take medicine according to how they were advised by doctors or nurses, adding that there is a good reason why they advise them so. He also urged people to go for check-ups at health centres and quit taking traditional medicines instead of going there so that their lives can be saved earlier. On World Heart Day, RHF encourages everyone to get involved and “Use Heart to Connect” by joining the conversation across social platforms using the hashtag #UseHeart.
