James Kayima

In this issue of The Lancet Global Health, Scott Wirth and colleagues1 report that rheumatic heart disease remains the largest contributor of cardiovascular-related mortality in children worldwide. Rheumatic heart disease affects 40 million people globally, with almost 300 000 deaths annually in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).2 High-income countries (HICs) have almost eliminated rheumatic heart disease over the last half of the 20th century.