THEORY & CONCEPT
Int. J. Public Health
Integrating equity and justice in rheumatic heart disease policy: addressing reproductive health challenges
- PP
Panduleni Penipawa Shimanda 1,2
- TS
Tekla Shipahu Natangwe Shiindi-Mbidi 3
1. Department of Nursing and Midwifery, International University of Management, Windhoek, Namibia
2. Umea universitet Medicinska fakulteten, Umeå, Sweden
3. Clara Barton School of Nursing, Welwitchia University, Windhoek, Namibia
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Abstract
Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD), a preventable disease of poverty, disproportionately affects women of reproductive age, highlighting a crisis at the intersection of cardiac and reproductive health. Despite effective interventions, RHD remains neglected in policy priorities. This paper uses the case of reproductive health dilemmas to demonstrate the need for the application of equity frameworks. We analyse how consequentialist, communitarian, and feminist principles can guide policymakers toward more effective and just interventions. The paper proposes a community-based model, justified through this ethical lens, and calls for policies prioritising equity to finally address RHD's preventable burden.
Summary
Keywords
Equity, policy, Reproductive health, RHD, Rheumatic Heart Disease
Received
03 November 2025
Accepted
21 May 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Shimanda and Shiindi-Mbidi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Panduleni Penipawa Shimanda, penipawa@hotmail.com
Disclaimer
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