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.
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.
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 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.
‘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.
Mozambique Co-Secretariat Awarded a European Commission Grant to Assess PEN-Plus Implementation
An international partnership that includes the NCDI Poverty Network and its Mozambique co-secretariat, housed at Universidade Eduardo Mondlane in Maputo, received a 4-million-euro award from the European Commission to assess and support the implementation of PEN-Plus in Mozambique.
Health Officials from Francophone Countries See PEN-Plus Firsthand
A “game-changing” study tour of a PEN-Plus clinic in Sierra Leone introduced Ministry of Health officials from six other Francophone nations to the role integration can play in providing quality care for people living with severe noncommunicable diseases in low- and lower-middle-income countries.
Network Publishes Portuguese Edition of PEN-Plus Clinical Handbook
The NCDI Poverty Network recently published a Portuguese edition of PEN-Plus Clinical Tools and Programmatic Standards, a reference both for planning PEN-Plus programs and for assessing and refining existing PEN-Plus clinics. The team has already published English and French editions of the handbook.
Research Team to Devote the Upcoming Year to Facility Assessments and Patient Studies
The research team at the Center for Integration Science in Global Health Equity has focused many of its most recent studies on the diverse aspects of PEN-Plus implementation and impact in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
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.
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.
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.
Photo Gallery: Circle of Life
In Springboard for Action, a PEN-Plus celebration held in September on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the U.N. General Assembly, leaders from the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Africa, UNICEF, and Nigeria’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare all expressed their commitment to PEN-Plus. The event also featured a performance by the Broadway cast of Disney’s The Lion King.
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.
Network Publishes Clinical Tools and Programmatic Standards
The Network has published PEN-Plus Clinical Tools and Programmatic Standards, a document aimed at informing clinic planning, budgeting, and operations by providing a crisp definition of PEN-Plus clinical care, including the diagnostic, treatment, and patient support services available.