News and Stories


The Missing Pieces: The Network Publishes a Statement on the Global NCD Agenda
Network in Action Briefs Paula Byron Network in Action Briefs Paula Byron

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.

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‘A Solution That Works’: PEN-Plus Praised at the Global NCDA Forum
Mike Lawrence Mike Lawrence

‘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.

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Health Officials from Francophone Countries See PEN-Plus Firsthand
Mike Lawrence Mike Lawrence

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.

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Network Publishes Portuguese Edition of PEN-Plus Clinical Handbook
Paula Byron Paula Byron

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.

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Springboard for Action
Paula Byron Paula Byron

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.

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Photo Gallery: Circle of Life
Paula Byron Paula Byron

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.

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Strategic Plan Details Global Targets for 2028
Paula Byron Paula Byron

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.

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Network Publishes Clinical Tools and Programmatic Standards
Paula Byron Paula Byron

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.

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Improving Access to Care for Sickle Cell Warriors
Paula Byron Paula Byron

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.

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Challenging Assumptions for Low-Income Countries
Paula Byron Paula Byron

Challenging Assumptions for Low-Income Countries

A recently published study of people living with type 1 diabetes in two rural clinics in Malawi found a high level of acceptability and satisfaction among those using continuous glucose monitoring, suggesting that the technology is feasible in low-income settings.

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Building for the Future
Paula Byron Paula Byron

Building for the Future

The PEN-Plus clinic in eastern Uganda began as a gathering under a tree and has blossomed into a standalone structure with consultation and treatment rooms, a training center, and a pharmacy.

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Back in Play
Paula Byron Paula Byron

Back in Play

For several years, the local health center had dismissed Fatmata Fofanah’s symptoms as the common cold. Yet those symptoms continued to worsen. “We noticed her heart was beating fast and she was short of breath,” said her mother, Mariama. “Even a few minutes of play would make her heart race.”

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