Kawasaki disease (KD) is the most common paediatric vasculitis and a leading cause of acquired heart disease in children in high-income settings. In Africa, however, KD remains profoundly under-recognised, under-diagnosed, and under-represented in global research, despite emerging evidence that children of African ancestry may experience more severe disease and higher rates of coronary artery complications. Fewer than 200 cases have been reported in the African literature, strongly suggesting under-recognition rather than true rarity.

With support from the International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR), we are establishing the African Kawasaki Disease Network, coordinated from Cape Town, South Africa, to address these gaps through collaboration, data generation, and advocacy. The Network aims to (1) connect clinicians and researchers across South Africa and the African continent with a shared interest in KD; (2) conduct a structured review and survey to map KD burden, diagnostic practices, and access to echocardiography and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG); (3) develop a consensus-based core dataset and a shareable REDCap registry to enable standardized, comparable KD data collection; and (4) generate context-appropriate, Africa-specific diagnostic and treatment guidance aligned with best international evidence but adapted to resource-constrained settings.

Beyond data collection, the Network is designed as a platform for education and advocacy. By documenting service gaps and outcomes, the initiative will support engagement with professional societies and health ministries to improve awareness, access to timely diagnosis, and equitable access to effective therapies. Importantly, this work seeks not only to improve outcomes for African children, but also to ensure that African data and perspectives meaningfully inform global KD understanding.

This initiative aligns closely with the goals of the International Kawasaki Disease Symposium and EuroKIDS by expanding global representation, enabling cross-regional comparisons, and creating opportunities for collaborative research, guideline harmonisation, and training. We present this Network as an invitation for partnership, with the long-term aim of integrating African KD data into international registries and contributing to a more inclusive, globally relevant evidence base for Kawasaki disease.