News and Stories
The PEN-Plus Conversation Shifts from What to How
The Third International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa reflected a key advancement in the PEN-Plus movement in the two years since the inaugural meeting: a notable shift in conversation from what the model is to how countries can best scale up their PEN-Plus programs nationally.
Media Highlights Reflect the Momentum of ICPPA 2026
Follow-up coverage of the Third International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa reflected the momentum of PEN-Plus, the focus on children’s health, and the support from national governments that were all hallmarks of the conference.
Photo Gallery: Third International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa
For many participants, the Third International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa, held in Dar es Salaam in June 2026, represented a kind of homecoming. Some had attended the previous two conferences; others were reuniting with far-flung teammates and long-time collaborators. And for the hundreds of first-time participants, the conference provided opportunities to learn, to network, and to commit to increasing access to lifesaving treatments for people living with severe noncommunicable diseases.
Reclaiming Hope
Margaret Nyirenda’s twin daughters were diagnosed with sickle cell disease at just five months old. Last year, tragically, one of the twins died suddenly while enroute to a hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. Since then, Nyirenda and her husband have been able to enroll their surviving daughter, five-year-old Isabella, in a nearby PEN-Plus clinic, which now delivers treatment to Isabella and hope to the entire family.
‘The Way We Do Things’
Dr. Justice Mudavanhu, a Ministry of Health expert, reports that Zimbabwe’s PEN-Plus national operational plan, launched just last year, has already helped transform PEN-Plus implementation from a partner-driven activity in one corner of the country to a Ministry of Health program poised for national expansion.
‘His Heart Was Beating Differently’
At just 15 years old, António Joaquim has already faced a life-threatening condition. His story of resilience and recovery illustrates the challenges of accessing timely diagnoses for noncommunicable diseases in low-resource settings—and the impact of integrated care models such as PEN-Plus.
PEN-Plus Is Thriving in Six Districts in Nepal
A recent publication in BMJ Global Health details the growth of PEN-Plus integrated care for severe, chronic noncommunicable diseases in Nepal, where the model has been expanding from two districts to six. The country’s PEN-Plus program has not only strengthened clinical resources and referral systems, but it has also developed strong social support initiatives that address nutrition, mental health, and community awareness.
‘Gratitude in My Heart’
After five years with the NCDI Poverty Network, Dr. Apporva Gomber leaves a legacy of impassioned advocacy—and community—through her work with the Voices for PEN-Plus program. Dr. Gomber is returning to clinical work, with the goal of becoming a pediatric endocrinologist and using her own lived experience to help children navigate the challenges of living with type 1 diabetes.
Lancet Editorial Praises PEN-Plus
With less than a month until heads of state and health leaders from across sub-Saharan Africa convene at the Third International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa to discuss strategies for improving care for people living with severe, chronic noncommunicable diseases, a Lancet Primary Care editorial provides a powerful testament to the impact of PEN-Plus.
Stepping from the Background to Center Stage
Daniel Mulowa, an 11-year-old with sickle cell disease, experienced a transformative week at an PEN-Plus camp last summer. The camp, held in Zambia for young people with sickle cell disease or type 1 diabetes, showed the power of peer support, health education, and empowerment.
‘Let’s Grow Together’: Voices for PEN-Plus Team Expands
Two sickle cell warriors from Kenya and two type 1 diabetes warriors, one from Uganda and the other from Zambia, recently joined the Network’s Voices for PEN-Plus advocacy program. “Your story makes a difference, your story has impact,” veteran Voices advocate Moses Echodu said in welcoming the newcomers. “And, importantly, your story is what will keep someone else hopeful.”
Scarcity of Data on Type 1 Diabetes Care in Low-Resource Settings Shows Need for PEN-Plus
A first-of-its-kind review of published studies on type 1 diabetes care found a significant lack of records and data on care in primary- and first-referral-level hospitals in low-and lower-middle-income countries. The findings do more than suggest a wide gap in care for people living with the disease in rural areas of low- and lower-middle-income countries; they also underscore the urgent need to fill that gap through proven integrated health care models such as PEN-Plus.
Transforming Pain into Power: Mentors Encourage Young Warriors to Become Advocates
Emmanuel Kisembo and Lwimba Kasongo—who live with type 1 diabetes and sickle cell disease, respectively—are tireless advocates for awareness and education about their conditions. They are members of the NCDI Poverty Network’s Voices for PEN-Plus program and were co-captains last summer at an integrated PEN-Plus camp in Zambia, where they mentored nearly 60 youth with noncommunicable diseases. In this article, they share their lived experience and reflections on mentorship, advocacy, and the power of integration in fostering peer support.
Journal Series to Explore Integration Science as Key to Meeting Global Health Challenges
As global health funding continues to evolve, more than 50 experts from dozens of countries are preparing for publication a new four-paper series that will offer integration science as a tool for unlocking significant gains in health equity worldwide. These collaborators represent a range of organizations and include academics, ministry officials, and people with lived experience from across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Research Sought on PEN-Plus in Africa
Preparations are in full swing for the Third International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa, slated for June 23–25 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The conference will celebrate the accelerating momentum of the PEN-Plus movement and highlight the latest research, for which the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa has issued a call for abstracts.
‘Positioned as a Solution’: Three Intensive Years Preceded Kenya’s National Plan for PEN-Plus
Several countries that have already implemented PEN-Plus are now launching national operational plans to detail how they will use the model to expand, integrate, and decentralize care for people living with noncommunicable diseases. A leader in Kenya’s Ministry of Health recently revealed critical steps in ensuring that country’s plan would be a success.
PEN-Plus Empowers Schoolteacher Living with Type 1 Diabetes in Sierra Leone
Thanks to her continued care at the PEN-Plus clinic in Koidu, Umu Barrie was able to complete her studies and begin her career as a teacher. “Receiving this treatment has encouraged me to be a role model,” she said. “I am now living my life to the full, and I want to help other people with diabetes change their lives.”
Master Training Program Builds Momentum in Malawi
A recent training session showed that skills such as mentoring, proficiency in giving effective feedback, and being able to assess patient experiences accurately can be as vital to quality care as medical equipment and resources.
Cameroon Opens Its First PEN-Plus Clinics
The clinics at Mfou and Djoum district hospitals arose from years of collaboration driven by Cameroon’s Ministry of Health and the WHO Regional Office for Africa, with boosts from an informal coalition of health officials in Francophone countries.
Ethiopia Launches PEN-Plus National Operating Plan
The NCDI Poverty Network joined with the Government of Ethiopia, the Mathiwos Wondu Foundation, the World Health Organization, and other partners in a recent ceremony to launch Ethiopia’s PEN-Plus National Operational Plan, marking another major milestone for the growth of PEN-Plus in sub-Saharan Africa.