Rheumatic heart disease continues to rise in outback community (opens original article in a new tab)

Rheumatic heart disease continues to rise in the remote Doomadgee community despite some improvements in healthcare following a 2023 coronial inquest.

• Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) cases in Doomadgee have increased by 86% since 2020.
• Coroner's 2023 recommendations aimed at improving RHD care have led to some progress but not enough to reverse the trend.
• Healthcare system failures, including poor follow-up care and lack of community trust, contributed to the ongoing RHD crisis.