On Wednesday 11 October, RHD Action – a global initiative that unites the rheumatic heart disease community – will welcome Ministry of Health representatives from countries across the Western Pacific to the Rheumatic Heart Disease Reception.

From late August to early September, RHD Action participated in the Committee meetings for two WHO (World Health Organization) regions: Africa and Southeast Asia.

Ilaitia Usa Tukana comes from Fiji in the Western Pacific. He grew up playing rugby in a family with two brothers and two sisters. Having studied software engineering at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, he now works at the Central Bank of Fiji. At the age of 8 years old, Ilaitia was diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease (RHD). We recently spoke to Ilaitia about this diagnosis, and why he now advocates for greater awareness about the dangers of sore throat and RHD.

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