Knowledge Exchange Series Continues with Overview of PEN-Plus
The NCDI Poverty Network Secretariat hosted the third installment of the current Knowledge Exchange series on 19 October. The discussion focused on PEN-Plus and how the integrated care delivery strategy is being implemented and scaled up across Africa and Southern Asia.
A recording of the event can be viewed here.
The event was facilitated to allow the audience the opportunity to ask invited speakers questions. Invited speakers included NCD Division Manager Dr. Francois Uwinkindi of the Rwanda Biomedical Center and Principal Research Specialist Dr. Mary Mayige of NIMR Tanzania. Dr. Uwinkindi and Dr. Mayige shared their national experiences with PEN-Plus as Rwanda was one of the first countries to implement PEN-Plus almost a decade ago and Tanzania is currently preparing to implement PEN-Plus.
Voices of NCDI Poverty Advocacy Fellow Anu Gomanju from Nepal also participated as a panelist. As a person living with the rheumatic heart disease, Anu supports the Nepal NCDI Poverty Commission with a focus on engaging people living with NCDs (PLWNCDs).
The panelists discussed reasons why their country chose to implement the PEN-Plus strategy as well as national implementation challenges. The discussion also focused on PEN-Plus from the perspective of people living with NCDs (PLWNCDs).
A notable takeaway from the presentations is that PEN-Plus is a proven solution to build national capacity to treat severe, chronic NCDs in rural and periurban areas.
The Knowledge Exchange series provides a forum for members of national NCDI Poverty Commissions, people living with noncommunicable diseases and injuries, and technical, policy, and advocacy experts who are members or supporters of the NCDI Poverty Network to share experiences and discuss how to best address the burden of severe NCDIs that cause 560,000 avoidable deaths every year before the age of 40 among the poorest billion.
French and English simultaneous interpretation is offered at Knowledge Exchange events to facilitate participation from around the world.
Stay tuned for more information on future Knowledge Exchanges.