WHO AFRO Publishes Landmark PEN-Plus Report

Dr. Acio Sarah chats with patients outside the PEN-Plus clinic at Atutur General Hospital in the Eastern Region of Uganda. (Photo: © Badru Katumba/World Health Organization)

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 report, “Understanding the PEN-Plus Approach to Care,” describes how the “extremely cost-effective” model is already providing more than 15,000 people with treatment for severe NCDs across 20 African countries. In Malawi, for example, the national scale-up of PEN-Plus is well under way, with over 440 clinicians trained and six secondary-level health facilities providing PEN-Plus care. These services are free, which helps reduce the significant financial burden on families caring for children living with severe chronic diseases.

“Key partners such as the NCDI Poverty Network and its various in-country implementing agencies have played crucial roles in advancing PEN-Plus,” the report states. “Together, they have been instrumental in delivering services, ensuring that care for severe NCDs reaches vulnerable populations, particularly those in rural and underserved areas. Their collaborative efforts in service delivery, capacity building and stakeholder engagement have been vital in embedding the PEN-Plus approach into national health systems and operational plans.”

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust provided funding for the report.

“By working together and pledging the necessary resources,” said James Reid, program officer for the Helmsley Charitable Trust, “countries can drive collective action to improve health and quality of life for millions of people around the world.”