Congenital heart disease in Ugandan children.

Abstract

The incidence and distribution of congenital heart disease in the tropics and subtropics is not known with certainty. In many regions there is little accurate information on birth and death rates or on the causes of death. However, there is suggestive evidence that the figures from the tropics and subtropics are similar to published figures from the temperate zone. Schrire (1964) in Cape Town found an equal incidence of congenital heart disease in 3 racial groups: white, Capecoloured, and Bantu. Watler (1960) found no difference between the post-mortem incidence and pattern of congenital heart disease in Jamaica and that of other countries. Muir (1960) studied necropsy material largely from the Chinese popu- lation in Singapore and noted a remarkable simi- larity between the cumulative mortality rate of his series and that ofother published series. The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a one-year clinical evaluation of congenital heart disease among Ugandan children seen in the pediatric service of the New Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda.