News and Stories
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.
Clinicians and Peer Educators Share Tools for Diabetes Self-Management
A peer education event in May brought clinicians and community advocates from Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Uganda together for training on type 1 diabetes management and symptoms, leadership, and…building towers out of spaghetti.
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.
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.
‘A Solution That Works’: PEN-Plus Praised at the Global NCDA Forum
The NCDI Poverty Network’s recent week of advocacy in Rwanda included visits to two hospitals, a conference with more than 700 attendees, a panel with four expert speakers, and one recurring theme: the recognition that PEN-Plus is an effective model for mobilizing action and financing to increase access to care for people living with severe, chronic noncommunicable diseases.
Overcoming Diabetes Stigma Through Community Education
In a new video, Lucy Johnbosco, a member of the NCDI Poverty Network’s Steering Committee from Tanzania, offers her perspective of what it takes to change perceptions of type 1 diabetes in places where many people have limited understanding of the condition.
“Community Is Crucial”
In recognition of World Diabetes Day, educator and advocate Edith Mukantwari shares her personal story of living with type 1 diabetes in Uganda, the lessons she’s learned, and the importance of a supportive community.
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.
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.
Springboard for Action
The PEN-Plus Partnership Strategic Plan (2025–2028) had its official launch at Springboard for Action, an event celebrating progress toward global access to care for people living with severe, chronic noncommunicable diseases. The NCDI Poverty Network hosted the event in New York City in September on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the U.N. General Assembly.
Strategic Plan Details Global Targets for 2028
On September 24, the Network officially published the PEN-Plus Partnership Strategic Plan (2025–2028). “It is our commitment, our testimony, and our witness to the collective progress of NCDI Poverty Network partners in delivering healthcare and hope to people in lower-income countries,” said Dr. Gene Bukhman, co-chair of the Network.
From Words to Action
The first International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa provided a platform for health experts, policymakers, civil society organization representatives, donors, people living with noncommunicable diseases, and community advocates to expedite political and financial backing for PEN-Plus.
Beyond the Conference
During the week of the International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa, NCDI Poverty Network members took advantage of several opportunities to gather, reflect, and renew their commitment to ensuring that lifesaving treatment reaches those who need it most.
Photo Gallery: ICPPA 2024
At the first International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa, the science was serious and the messages meaningful. NCDI Poverty Network participants showed their passion and compassion throughout the conference—and even shared moments of levity.
Network Hosts First Advocacy Summit
Following the International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa, the NCDI Poverty Network hosted the first Voices for PEN-Plus Advocacy Summit. The event, held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on April 26, brought stakeholders together to brainstorm ideas for increasing the scope and effectiveness of advocacy initiatives.
International Conference Series on PEN-Plus in Africa to Debut in April
“PEN-Plus” was coined only five years ago, but already the integrated care-delivery model is receiving a spotlight on the global stage, with the launch of the first annual International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa. The invitational conference will take place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in April.
Integration Science Can Help Heal Global Health Inequities
Integration science can do more than deliver quality healthcare; it can also deliver global health equity solutions. That’s the central premise of “From Local Innovation to National Scale to Global Impact: Integration Science as an Engine of Change and an Agenda for Action,” the second annual symposium of the Center for Integration Science in Global Health Equity.
Uganda Ministry of Health Celebrates PEN-Plus Launch
The Uganda Ministry of Health, the local government of the Kumi District, and the Uganda Initiative for Integrated Management of Noncommunicable Diseases hosted a celebration of the launch of PEN-Plus in Uganda on 23 November.
Stronger Together: The Power of Patient Organizers in the Fight for Global Health Justice
“People living with chronic conditions have historically not been considered important decision-makers from a policy perspective,” said Dr. Apoorva Gomber, coauthor of an opinion piece recently published in PLOS Global Public Health.