Honourable Chair,
Distinguished Delegates,

The World Heart Federation applauds the Director-General for his report and welcomes the newly released guidelines on rheumatic heart disease – a neglected, yet preventable, cardiovascular condition that disproportionately affects women and children.

Cardiovascular disease remains the foremost cause of death among women and a major contributor to maternal mortality globally. Rheumatic heart disease continues to drive maternal morbidity and mortality in many low-resource settings. Yet, it remains underdiagnosed and insufficiently integrated into reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health policies.

Timely detection and coordinated multidisciplinary care across the life course are essential. As such, we urge Member States to prioritize standardized and comprehensive cardiovascular care within universal health coverage, primary health care, and maternal health strategies to close persistent gaps and improve outcomes.

Thank you