Acute Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease
Our Hearts in Our Hands
What we do
Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) and Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) are entirely preventable conditions. They persist in high-income countries only where the social and cultural determinants of health are not equitably addressed. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to be disproportionately affected (AIHW, 2024).
NACCHO is leading the first ever Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled and Community-led approach to ARF and RHD in Australia. We support ACCHOs in areas at high risk of ARF and/or RHD to design and implement place-based programs that meet Community need.
Our vision is that the ACCHO sector is leading Community-controlled, sustainable, holistic and culturally appropriate approaches to reducing the inequitable burden of ARF and RHD experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia.
The ARF and RHD Program is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing with additional investment from BHP and The Snow Foundation.
Our initiatives
ARF and RHD Program
A key priority for NACCHO is to ensure that ACCHOs are adequately resourced to meet the needs of their Community.
Our Program provides funding to ACCHOs to increase their local workforce and deliver evidence-based, Community-led and locally responsive activities across ARF and RHD prevention, treatment and management.
Focus areas include:
- Prevention (environmental health, health promotion)
- Screening and early diagnosis
- Treatment and care pathways
- Ongoing patient support
Community of Practice
ACCHO staff funded through the Program attend a regular Community of Practice facilitated by NACCHO. The purpose of this group is to share learnings, identify common issues, and support each other to progress solutions at a local level.
Sector-led governance
The Program is supported by a sector-led national governance structure designed to address the structural reform that is required to reduce the burden of ARF and RHD on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities. This includes the Rheumatic Fever Strategy Joint Advisory Committee, co-chaired by NACCHO and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the RHD Expert Working Group, chaired by NACCHO, and the RHD Community of Practice.
Echo in ACCHOs pilot project
Our co-designed echocardiography training program has been developed to strengthen the capacity of primary health care workers in the ACCHO sector to deliver Community-led, evidence-based, culturally safe, equitable echocardiography services that better meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at risk of ARF/RHD.
Our approach
Community-led approaches to addressing ARF and RHD
We take a Community-led approach to ARF and RHD prevention and management. Through needs-based funding and locally designed solutions, we focus on tackling the root causes of ARF and RHD and improving health outcomes through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership.
The Program is guided by the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and the Core Services and Outcomes Framework.
Our impact
The Program currently reaches 29 ACCHOs across more than 100 clinics and Homelands. In 2024-25, approximately 105FTE were employed through the Program, 60% of which identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
What we’re seeing so far:
- Increased ARF and RHD prevention activities
- Increased dedicated ARF and RHD workforce
- Knowledge sharing and CQI opportunities at national sector-led forums
- Increased awareness of ARF and RHD (staff and Community)
- Increased treatment uptake
- Earlier detection of Strep A, ARF and RHD
Read more about the ARF and RHD program.
ACCHO locations
NACCHO oversees a network of 148 members, each running Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) across urban, regional, and remote Australia. These ACCHOs range from large facilities with multiple healthcare professionals providing comprehensive services to smaller centres focused on preventive care and health education, primarily delivered by Aboriginal Health Workers and nurses.
ACCHO locations
NACCHO oversees a network of 148 members, each running Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) across urban, regional, and remote Australia. These ACCHOs range from large facilities with multiple healthcare professionals providing comprehensive services to smaller centres focused on preventive care and health education, primarily delivered by Aboriginal Health Workers and nurses.
Contact
For any inquiries or assistance, please contact the RHD team here: rhd@naccho.org.au.
