Benin NCDI Poverty Commission Holds First Meeting
On February 18, 2021, Benin became the first of seven countries that are establishing national NCDI Poverty Commissions in 2021 to convene its inaugural meeting. Twenty-five Commissioners participated in the two-hour virtual event, which was opened by the Commission Co-Chairs – Dr. Ali Imorou Bah Chabi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Health; and Prof. Dismand Houinato, President of the Benin NCD Alliance. Cameroon, Nigeria, and Ghana plan to hold their inaugural Commission meetings in March and April, while Burkina Faso, Cambodia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are working toward launching Commissions in subsequent months.
In addition to officials from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Development, the Benin NCDI Poverty Commission comprises members of Parliament and representatives of clinical, academic, and civil society organizations, including the Benin NCD Alliance, which is serving as the Commission’s host institution. They were joined by two representatives of the NCDI Poverty Network Secretariat – Dr. Emmanuel Mensah, and Amy McLaughlin. Dr. Salmane Amidou and Dr. Prudence Wachinou, both of the NCD Division at the MOH, coordinated and led the meeting.
Dr. Amidou presented on the Vision, Mission, and Objectives of the Benin NCDI Poverty Commission, particularly during Phase 1 of the Commission process, which focuses on assessment of the national NCDI burden and priority-setting for conditions and interventions that disproportionately impact children and young adults living in extreme poverty. He provided an overview of how prioritizing these conditions and interventions fills a critical gap in care for severe NCDs and complements the WHO PEN program, which focuses on prevention and management of five common but less severe conditions associated with behavioral and metabolic risk factors (commonly referred to as the “5 x 5 model”).
Dr. Amidou also reported on his participation in the 2019 WHO AFRO Regional Consultation on WHO PEN and Integrated Outpatient Care for Severe, Chronic NCDs at First Referral Hospitals in the African Region (PEN-Plus) strategy for increasing the quality and availability of services for severe chronic NCDs at district hospitals. PEN-Plus clinics provide integrated chronic care services for diseases such as type 1 diabetes, advanced rheumatic heart disease, and sickle cell disease. Phases 2 and 3 of the national commission process focus on development and initial implementation of models for integrated delivery of priority interventions, starting with PEN-Plus.
Dr. Wachinou presented on the Benin Commission’s structure, timeline, and next steps. Members of the Commission will be divided into five working groups focused on:
National response to NCDIs;
National burden of NCDIs;
Coverage of care and services for NCDIs;
Financing of NCDIs; and
Strategic planning
The presentations were followed by 30 minutes of questions, answers, and discussion, during which multiple Commission members expressed their strong commitment and enthusiasm for the work.