News and Stories
Kenya’s Milestones in Noncommunicable Disease Care Follow Years of Collaboration
The Kenya Ministry of Health, NCD Alliance Kenya, NCDI Poverty Network, and partners convened for Kenya’s inaugural National NCD Conference, which featured the launch of a PEN-Plus National Operational Plan.
Bangladesh Study Tour Reveals a Strong PEN-Plus Foundation
The October tour showed the strong work of a relatively young PEN-Plus program that is poised for growth, reflecting the adaptability of the integrated model of care for noncommunicable diseases.
Nigeria Team Launches PEN-Plus Committee and Implementation Plan
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.
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.
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.”
ICPPA Positions Nigeria as Leading PEN-Plus Advocate, Media Coverage Shows
The second International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa positioned Nigeria as a leading advocate for PEN-Plus across the African continent, media coverage of the July conference showed.
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.
Mozambique Celebrates Dr. Ana Mocumbi’s Outstanding Contributions to Science
Dr. Ana Mocumbi, co-chair of the NCDI Poverty Network, recently received the Republic of Mozambique’s Medal of Merit for Science and Technology. The honor recognizes her outstanding contributions to science, technology, and innovation in Mozambique.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Joins UNICEF in Publishing Report on Childhood Noncommunicable Diseases
The NCDI Poverty Network—through one of its co-secretariats, the Center for Integration Science in Global Health Equity at Brigham and Women’s Hospital—has joined UNICEF in publishing a report on the burden on noncommunicable diseases on children, adolescents, and young adults in South Asia.
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.
Benin Commission Members Publish Their Final Report
The Benin NCDI Poverty Commission has published its final Phase 1 report.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo Publishes Its Final Report
The NCDI Poverty Commission of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has published its final Phase 1 report.
Improving Access to Care for Sickle Cell Warriors
In recognition of World Sickle Cell Day on June 19, a Lancet Haematology editorial cited both PEN-Plus and the first International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa as initiatives that can help ensure improved access to diagnosis, treatment, and care for people living with sickle cell disease in low- and middle-income countries.