RESET

Rheumatic Heart Disease Community Streptococcal Treatment Program

Sore throats caused by Strep bacteria can lead to RHD and are a common ailment that often goes untreated among children in low-resource settings.

If community members seek treatment for sore throats, and nurses are well-equipped to treat them, will there be a reduction in cases of RHD? 

RESET is studying whether widespread healthcare provider education and community sensitization about sore throats can reduce rates of RHD, which is proceeded by recurrent untreated strep throat.

If this program is effective, it will reduce the number of children with early RHD. The program may also provide a model for pragmatic programs to reduce the burden of RHD through community-wide sore throat programs.

Community Education: Community sensitization events are being held throughout the district to educate people on the link between sore throat and RHD and to encourage formal health evaluation for sore throat among children.

44,223

Community members reached by the RESET camgaign

475+

Teachers and Community Health workers trained

13,974

Students screened for RHD

Project Site: Tororo District

Project Dates: 2021-2024

Project Aims:

  1. Improve guideline-based care through frontline healthcare provider education on clinical decision rules and guideline-based primary prevention.

  2. Increase health seeking behavior for sore throat thorough a multifaceted community awareness campaign (radio messaging, school-based education, wall painting and posters, community events, etc.)

Screening Children for RHD

Our team performed echo screenings on over 44,000 children in the Tororo District to determine the baseline level of RHD in the community. We will screen a similar number of children at the conclusion of the project as a way to evaluate impact. 

Ministry of Health Involvement

RESET is successful only because of its close partnership with the Ministry of Health, which has contributed to the content and design of the RESET campaign posters and educational content to encourage sore throat treatment.

Training Healthcare Workers

Healthcare worker training and empowerment is a key part of our program. RESET runs on a train-the-trainer model, where RESET staff trains “head” nurses who return to regional clinics to train their colleagues using simple RESET-designed training materials and clinical forms.

o Caption: As part of the District-wide campaign, buildings and walls have been painted with the RESET logo and “be a hero” messaging to encourage community members to seek treatment for sore throat.

As part of the district-wide campaign, buildings and walls have been painted with the RESET logo and “be a hero” messaging to encourage community members to seek treatment for sore throat.