News and Stories
CIDRZ Hosts Diabetes Boot Camp in Zambia
In August, CIDRZ held a four-day boot camp for young people living with type 1 diabetes in Zambia. The camp combined entertainment and sports activities with education on self-management of the condition.
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.
Workshop Convenes All Eight Countries in UNICEF’s Regional Office for South Asia
In early June, delegations from all eight countries in UNICEF ROSA—the Regional Office for South Asia—convened in Kathmandu for a three-day workshop on severe childhood-onset noncommunicable diseases.
Photo Gallery: UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia Workshop
In early June, delegations from all eight countries in UNICEF ROSA—the Regional Office for South Asia—convened in Kathmandu for a three-day workshop on severe childhood-onset noncommunicable diseases.
An Underpinning of Research
In advance of the International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa, the NCDI Poverty Network team compiled research resources on PEN-Plus and other integrated-science healthcare delivery models.
Network Publishes Scoping Review of Sickle Cell Disease Care
NCDI Poverty Network researchers recently published a scoping review of models of care for people with sickle cell disease in low-income and lower-middle-income countries. Their findings confirmed the care limitations the Network has been seeking to overcome through the implementation of the PEN-Plus model.
Experts Showcase PEN-Plus in Southern Africa
The NCDI Poverty Network and the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) hosted a side event, “PEN-Plus Partnership: An NCDI Poverty Network Initiative in Partnership with WHO/AFRO,” on 29 November at the 3rd International Conference on Public Health in Africa, held in Lusaka, Zambia.
Surguja Sickle Cell People’s Health Conference in Chhattisgarh, India
Over 400 people came together on 1 October to advocate for the needs of people living with sickle cell disease in Chhattisgarh State in central India.
Ethiopia Plans for PEN-Plus Scale-Up
PEN-Plus partners and stakeholders met in Addis Ababa on October 19 to discuss Ethiopia’s national scaleup of PEN-Plus. This scaleup will expand the accessibility and availability of quality noncommunicable disease care at the country’s primary hospital level.
Democratic Republic of the Congo Commission Members Meet to Set Priorities
The NCDI Poverty Commission of the Democratic Republic of the Congo convened in late October to review noncommunicable disease data as part of a priority-setting meeting.
Network Participates in the World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery
NCDI Poverty Network team members carried the flag for PEN-Plus at the 8th World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, held in Washington, DC, in August. The event marked the first time the international conference took place in the continental United States.
Language Matters: Both a PEN-Plus Primer and Promise
The NCDI Poverty Network has produced “Language Matters,” a primer intended to sensitize PEN-Plus providers to the communication nuances involved in caring for people living with severe, chronic noncommunicable diseases.
Benin Commission Meets for Situation Analysis and Priority Setting
In August, the Benin NCDI Poverty Commission convened at the Ministry of Health in Haie-Vive to review NCDI data for an initial situation analysis. The goal of the three-day workshop was to establish a framework to outline the prioritization of needs and identify appropriate interventions.
Integration Science Study on the Delivery Status of High-Priority Clinical Services Launched
In August, the NCDI Poverty Network’s Maputo Co-Secretariat launched an integration science study designed to generate information on the delivery status of high-priority clinical services for people with noncommunicable diseases at 20 facilities in Mozambique, Cameroon, and Nigeria.
Center for Integration Science Joins Africa CDC Workshop on Noncommunicable Diseases
The Center for Integration Science in Global Health Equity participated in an Africa CDC/African Union workshop, “Non-Communicable Diseases, Injuries, and Mental Health Surveillance: Situational Analysis and Peer Learning,” in July 2023 in Ghana.
Network Cohosts National Cardiac Technical Working Group
In May, the NCDI Poverty Network, in partnership with the Rwanda Ministry of Health and with support from Team Heart, launched a national Cardiac Technical Working Group.
PEN-Plus Providers in Zimbabwe Receive Cardiac Training
In May, eight PEN-Plus providers in Zimbabwe received initial training in performing and interpreting echocardiograms. Those eight providers—along with seven others—were also trained in managing heart failure.
Building Solidarity for Severe, Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases: Team PEN-Plus Runs in Support
“I run in support of the millions of people worldwide who live with type 1 diabetes,” said Dr. Apoorva Gomber, associate advocacy director of the Center for Integration Science in Global Health Equity at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “I’ve run a marathon before and fundraised in the past. Still, this event was special because of the person who motivated my fundraising.”
Burkina Faso Commission Convenes for Situation Analysis Meeting
Members of the Burkina Faso NCDI Poverty Commission met at the Ministry of Health offices in Ouagadougou in early May to review national NCDI data as part of an initial situation analysis.