Nigeria Team Launches PEN-Plus Committee and Implementation Plan
In September, Nigeria inaugurated its National PEN-Plus Implementation Steering Committee and finalized plans for caring for people living with such conditions as type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and childhood heart disease.
The same week that global policy talks on noncommunicable diseases were taking place at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, health leaders in Abuja, Nigeria, were marking progress in being able to provide care for people living with severe, chronic NCDs through PEN-Plus.
In a meeting held September 22–26, the health leaders laid the foundation for Nigeria’s implementation of the integrated care-delivery model, as they inaugurated the National PEN-Plus Implementation Steering Committee and finalized plans for caring for people living with such conditions as type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and childhood heart disease.
Dr. Alayo Sopekan, a deputy director for Nigeria’s Ministry of Health and the point person for the country’s PEN-Plus program, said the Steering Committee includes representatives across diverse sectors and disciplines, to foster accountability and transparency in the implementation plan.
Dr. Obiageli Nnodu, a professor of haematology at the University of Abuja and the director of the university’s National Centre of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease Research and Training, noted that there was “a lot of energy in the room” from the involvement of stakeholders, including people living with NCDs.
“Individuals with lived experience of the three conditions are very much involved in developing the documents and are making valuable contributions,” Prof. Nnodu added.