News and Stories
Four New Countries Join the NCDI Poverty Network
In just the past several months, the NCDI Poverty Network has grown from 23 partner countries to 27, with the most recent additions being Eswatini, Lesotho, Niger, and Somaliland.
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.
Study Shows Medicine and Equipment Gaps in Advance of PEN-Plus
A newly published study found that only two of 16 health facilities assessed in nine lower-income countries had all the functional equipment needed to diagnose and manage care for people living with type 1 diabetes. Two of the facilities had none of the necessary equipment.
Creating a Training “Echo”
A recent intensive teaching course aimed to turn care providers already proficient in echocardiography into master trainers. Held in Kenya, the weeklong session included care providers from five countries.
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.
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.
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.
WHO AFRO Publishes Landmark PEN-Plus Report
The WHO Regional Office for Africa recently published a landmark report that details the impact and momentum of the PEN-Plus model, providing a valuable tool for advocacy and information about integrated care for people living with severe, chronic noncommunicable diseases.
The Network Expands Its Social Media Presence
The NCDI Poverty Network recently expanded its social media presence to use the rising popularity of Facebook in Africa to good advantage—and to provide additional platforms for its advocacy work in ensuring that children, adolescents, and adults living with severe noncommunicable diseases in low-income countries have access to the lifesaving services they need.
The Missing Pieces: The Network Publishes a Statement on the Global NCD Agenda
The NCDI Poverty Network recently published a position statement that identifies the crucial pieces—and populations—missing from the global NCD agenda. With this statement, the Network seeks to inform policy discussions in the lead-up to the Fourth United Nations High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, slated for September.
PEN-Plus in Animation
Although the central concept behind PEN-Plus is relatively simple, it can be challenging to explain the model simply. Fortunately, the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Africa recently shared an updated version of its animated explainer video on PEN-Plus.
Webinar to Explore the Impact of PEN-Plus on the Care of Children with NCDs
Dr. Neil Gupta, a pediatrician and the senior director of policy at the NCDI Poverty Network, will join a panel of healthcare providers in an upcoming webinar that explores how PEN-Plus affects the care of children living with severe NCDs. The International Pediatric Association is hosting the webinar on March 25.
Training the Warrior Trainers
Two NCDI Poverty Network physicians lent their expertise during a recent diabetes training workshop that the Sonia Nabeta Foundation hosted in Uganda.
Network Publishes French Edition of Clinical Handbook on PEN-Plus
The NCDI Poverty Network has published a French edition of PEN-Plus Clinical Tools and Programmatic Standards, a document that defines the diagnostic, treatment, and patient support services that compose PEN-Plus. Several francophone countries have already initiated PEN-Plus.
Sickle Cell Warrior Presents on the Lifesaving Power of Blood
During the East Africa Blood Disorders Leadership Forum, held in Nairobi in late October, Eunice Owino, a Voices for PEN-Plus advocate, spoke about her experiences living with sickle cell disease.
Programs Team Visits Kenya
Members of the NCDI Poverty Network’s Programs Team recently visited the PEN-Plus site in Vihiga County in western Kenya.
Zimbabwe’s PEN-Plus Program Makes Strides
A recent visit to Zimbabwe by members of the NCDI Poverty Network’s Programs Team yielded encouraging updates on the country’s PEN-Plus program.
Testing a Model for Depression Care in Malawi
NCDI Poverty Network members joined other researchers in assessing a mental health intervention that was integrated into an existing model of chronic care in Malawi. They found that such interventions can be inexpensive if they build off an existing infrastructure, involve lay personnel, and deliver therapy in a group format.
“Nothing For Us, Without Us”
The International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes meeting in October shined a spotlight on patient advocates as key stakeholders in developing guidelines for type 1 diabetes care globally.
Nigeria NCDI Poverty Commission Publishes Its Final Report
After several years of hard work, members of the Nigeria NCDI Poverty Commission have published their final Phase 1 report.