Acute Heart Failure in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Underrecognized Cause of Mortality

Acute heart failure (HF) remains a major public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, contributing substantially to morbidity and mortality. Despite its burden, the epidemiological characteristics of acute HF in the region remain incompletely understood. The experience of the National Center of Cardiology in Mauritania demonstrates that optimal management of acute HF is achievable within a tertiary care setting; however, significant improvements are still needed across the rest of the country. Moreover, simple interventions focused on prevention, early diagnosis, and patient education have the potential to improve outcomes in this serious condition, which has long been neglected in sub-Saharan Africa. This editorial highlights the need to recognize acute HF as a public health emergency. Given its considerable socioeconomic impact, the establishment of a multinational fund by sub-Saharan African governments to support a coordinated regional HF strategy is also warranted.