In the Far North Queensland community of Yarrabah, dozens of students are gathering around the sink with soap foamed up to their armpits, waiting for the water.
The youngsters are part of a new program that is aimed at eliminating (RHD).
Yarrabah experiences some of the highest rates of RHD in the nation,
According to CEO of Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services Yarrabah Suzanne Andrews, over 350 people in the small community are experiencing rheumatic heart issues.
“Historically, RHD was eradicated back in the 1970s in Australia," she told NITV.
"But it’s come back, and it’s come back with a vengeance in a lot of our communities," she said.
Children in Yarrabah are using the products to make sure skin sores don't spread. Credit: Take Heart: Deadly Heart
The realities of RHD
The disease stems from accurate rheumatic fever, which is caused by skin sores or sore throats being infected with a common bug known as group A streptococcus.
The infection can quickly lead to heart failure, stroke, or damage so severe open-heart surgery is needed.
Australia has some of the highest rates of RHD in the world, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people being 15 times more likely to be diagnosed with the condition than non-Indigenous people.
Young people aged between 5 and 15 are most at risk of not surviving the disease.
“We know RHD is caused by disadvantage and poverty," Ms Andrews said.
"With many Aboriginal communities it has taken hold. It’s rife in Yarrabah, but we are trying to work through ways to eradicate it here."
Now, thanks to a new program residents are taking big steps to stop RHD before it starts.
The all-natural Australian skin care products are helping the community put their health first. Credit: Take Heart: Deadly Heart
Prevention is key
The community has partnered with Australian skincare brand, MooGoo, for the MooGoo Prevent RHD Project, which has seen the brand supply the township with a year’s worth of body wash.
Each household was provided with a bottle of body wash, which can be refilled at 17 different centres in Yarrabah.
“Skin sores are common in Yarrabah, there are various reasons,” said Maddy Dodd, Child Health Team Leader at Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services.
“If we can prevent the infection from occurring in the beginning, and so prevent the skin sores, then we can prevent acute rheumatic fever and then rheumatic heart disease.”
The body wash is safe to use on skin sores, preventing infection.
MooGoo, an Australian skincare brand, is helping Yarrabah stop the growing rate of RHD.
For Ms Andrews, community-led prevention is the key to success.
“As always we wanna make sure that our community is across what we are doing and supports what we are doing. We’re working with the community to deal with RHD and this project with MooGoo is a small part of the prevention we are doing," she said.
Alongside the program, the centre also works closely with the Yarrabah Council to address overcrowding in housing, works with local schools and community groups to do personal health checks, delivers education campaigns and provides primary health services to the township.
People of all ages in the Yarrabah community have been using the products. Credit: Take Heart: Deadly Heart
