News and Stories


Making the Case for Inclusion of Children Ahead of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs

Making the Case for Inclusion of Children Ahead of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs

Commentary authored by Network leaders and published this month by The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health makes the case for better care for children and adolescents living with severe, chronic NCDs in settings of extreme poverty, a case that’s also reflected in the Network’s position statement ahead of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs in September.

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Open for Care: Zambia Cuts the Ribbon on Fourth and Fifth PEN-Plus Clinics

Open for Care: Zambia Cuts the Ribbon on Fourth and Fifth PEN-Plus Clinics

Zambia health officials recently opened the country’s fourth and fifth PEN-Plus clinics, marking both occasions within weeks of launching the country’s national operating plan for the care of people living with severe noncommunicable diseases. Both new clinics have received support from the Scottish Government.

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Republic of Somaliland Joins the Network

Republic of Somaliland Joins the Network

In a launch event in late July, the Republic of Somaliland announced a partnership with the NCDI Poverty Network to support people living with severe, chronic noncommunicable diseases through PEN-Plus. In a statement, the Ministry of Health Development of the Republic of Somaliland noted the partnership “marks a significant step forward in strengthening the ministry’s efforts to improve health services, particularly in addressing noncommunicable diseases.”

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Zambia Launches National Operational Plan

Zambia Launches National Operational Plan

Zambia health officials recently took a significant step forward in PEN-Plus implementation with the launch of a national operational plan to support and expand care for people living with severe, chronic noncommunicable diseases. The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, or CIDRZ, a PEN-Plus implementing partner working with the NCDI Poverty Network, hosted a launch event in Lusaka.

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Camp to Bring Together Youth Living with Severe Conditions for Fun, Solidarity, and Support

Camp to Bring Together Youth Living with Severe Conditions for Fun, Solidarity, and Support

Camp Tuli Bonse, an integrated summer camp, will bring together about 60 children, adolescents, and young adults living with either type 1 diabetes or sickle cell disease for a week of health education, support, solidarity, and fun in Chongwe, Zambia, from August 18 to 22.

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Webinar Series Solidifies PEN-Plus Collaboration Among Francophone Countries

Webinar Series Solidifies PEN-Plus Collaboration Among Francophone Countries

Health officials from several French-speaking countries in western and central Africa have begun meeting in a new webinar series to share—in French—their challenges and successes in expanding care for people living with severe noncommunicable diseases. The new series solidifies a groundbreaking collaboration that began with a February study tour in Sierra Leone.

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At a United Nations Hearing, Network Provides Testimony on Global Health Gaps

At a United Nations Hearing, Network Provides Testimony on Global Health Gaps

On behalf of the NCDI Poverty Network, Rachel Gasana, senior director of advancement, testified at the multistakeholder hearing on noncommunicable diseases, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. The Network was one of 70 organizations selected to deliver testimonies as a prelude to the United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs in September.

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Partners In Health Details a PEN-Plus Clinic Opening in Sierra Leone

Partners In Health Details a PEN-Plus Clinic Opening in Sierra Leone

An audience of patients, clinicians, Ministry of Health officials, and community members recently gathered to celebrate a historic milestone for Sierra Leone: the launch of a purpose-built PEN-Plus clinic at Koidu Government Hospital. Partners In Health, the implementing partner for PEN-Plus in Koidu, has published an account of the clinic’s services.

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Zimbabwe Finalizes National Operational Plan for PEN-Plus
Network in Action Briefs Paula Byron Network in Action Briefs Paula Byron

Zimbabwe Finalizes National Operational Plan for PEN-Plus

Zimbabwe recently finalized its national operational plan for PEN-Plus, becoming the first country to do so among the dozen nations that began implementing PEN-Plus in 2022–23. “This plan shows the great commitment of Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and its supporting partners to take the lessons learned from its initial experience with PEN-Plus to the next level,” said Dr. Neil Gupta, senior director of policy for the NCDI Poverty Network.

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Courage and Clarity: Haiti Publishes NCD Report Despite Obstacles
Network in Action Briefs Mike Lawrence Network in Action Briefs Mike Lawrence

Courage and Clarity: Haiti Publishes NCD Report Despite Obstacles

More than 150 people recently gathered in Port-au-Prince for the formal launch of Haiti’s NCDI Poverty Commission report on noncommunicable diseases, injuries, and poverty. The updated and expanded report, which Commission members began drafting in 2019, represents the country’s commitment to health equity despite ongoing national challenges.

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Network Advocates for Expansion of WHO’s Essential Medicines List
Network in Action Briefs Paula Byron Network in Action Briefs Paula Byron

Network Advocates for Expansion of WHO’s Essential Medicines List

The NCDI Poverty Network has submitted proposals to the World Health Organization suggesting it add analogue insulins and a triple fixed-dose antihypertensive medicine combination to its Model List of Essential Medicines. The Network has also proposed that WHO reclassify hemoglobinopathies to shine more of a spotlight on sickle cell disease and thalassemias.

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