Auckland focus for rheumatic fever campaign

This year’s rheumatic fever awareness campaign has a special focus on Auckland.

Last year more than half the country’s rheumatic fever cases were in the super city.

The awareness campaign runs until the end of April using local media channels, Pacific and iwi radio stations and social media.

There is also a youth campaign which includes theatrical performance projects, and training youth ambassadors to deliver awareness raising activities.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says rheumatic fever is serious but preventable, with children and young people from Pacific and Maori communities the most vulnerable

In the 12 months to June 2016 there were 112 cases of rheumatic fever in the Auckland region, down from a high of 177 in 2012.

There are now more than 300 drop in clinics in high risk areas around the country, and more than 40,000 high risk young people have accessed sore throat drop-in services.

Auckland’s housing crisis is a factor in the continued epidemic, with damp and overcrowded houses the breeding grounds for infection,

Healthy Homes Initiatives in all high incidence areas are offering packages of housing-related interventions to up to 3000 families each year.

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