Working with PASCAR, World Health Organization, the African Union Commission (AU) hosted a two-day workshop on 21 and 22 February 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The purpose of the workshop was to assemble experts from across Africa and the world to chart the path for ‘A Roadmap towards the Eradication of Rheumatic Heart Disease in Africa’ The objectives of the meeting were to: Quantify the burden of RHD in AU Member States; develop a roadmap to indicate key actions and enhanced investments that are needed to eradicate RHD in AU Member States; engage key stakeholders and establish effective collaborations among the health care sector and other sectors that address the social determinants of health, NCDs, and access to care towards implementation of the roadmap under the leadership of Ministries of Health in AU Member States.

More information and presentations on country experiences from New Zealand, Tunisia and Australia, as well as discussion points: bit.ly/1D14h9w

Recommendations from the meeting will be presented at the AU Health Ministers’ meeting in mid-April. The meeting was funded by Novartis.