News and Stories
Strategic Plan Details Global Targets for 2028
On September 24, the NCDI Poverty 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.
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.
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.
The BMJ Highlights Opportunity to Save Lives Through PEN-Plus
An opinion article published this month in The BMJ spotlights the PEN-Plus strategy as a new hope for improving chronic disease care in sub-Saharan Africa.
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.
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.
Center for Integration Science and WHO Regional Office for Africa Plan Joint Collaboration to Achieve PEN-Plus Regional Implementation Targets
The WHO Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) and the Center for Integration Science in Global Health Equity (CIS) met in Accra, Ghana, from 17 to 19 July to discuss the region’s PEN-Plus implementation strategy.
Cameroon NCDI Poverty Commission Meets Ahead of Report Dissemination
Members of the Cameroon NCDI Poverty Commission met in Yaounde on May 10 to review the results of their situation analysis and priority-setting work on the country’s noncommunicable disease burden. Attending were leaders and representatives of both the Ministry of Health and the country office of the World Health Organization.
Nigeria Commission Reviews Key Findings and Recommendations
The Nigeria NCDI Poverty Commission met for the fourth time on 9 November.
Bangladesh NCDI Poverty Commission Holds First Meeting
The Bangladesh NCDI Poverty Commission held its first meeting on 26 October at the Directorate General of Medical Education in Dhaka, increasing the number of countries participating in the NCDI Poverty Network to 22.
WHO/AFRO Regional NCD Meeting Includes PEN-Plus
Following the adoption of the PEN-Plus strategy to address severe NCDs at first-level referral health facilities by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO), PEN-Plus and the NCDI Poverty Network were agenda items at the Regional Meeting of WHO staff responsible for the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
PEN-Plus on the Agenda at WAHO Regional Review Meeting
Following the adoption of the PEN-Plus strategy to address severe NCDs at first-level referral health facilities by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO), the West African Health Organization (WAHO) hosted a three-day regional review meeting on the WHO Package of Essential NCD Interventions for Primary Health Care (WHO PEN) that included a presentation on PEN-Plus and the NCDI Poverty Network. Participants met in Cape Verde between 14-16 September 2022.
DRC Commission Convenes for Situation Analysis Meeting and Prepares for Priority-Setting
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) NCDI Poverty Commission met for its first technical meeting on 27 September in Kinshasa to review national NCDI data as part an initial situation analysis.
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.
Ghana NCDI Poverty Commission Holds Launch Meeting
The Ghana NCDI Poverty Commission held its kickoff meeting on 5 October 2022 at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana.
Knowledge Exchange Focuses on How to Prioritize Severe NCDs and Injuries that Impact Children and Young Adults
The NCDI Poverty Network Secretariat hosted the second installment of the Network’s new Knowledge Exchange series on 28 June 2022.
Zambia NCDI Poverty Commission Announces PEN-Plus Initiation
The Zambia Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) officially launched the Zambia NCDI Poverty Commission Report on 29 June 2022 in Lusaka and announced that they will initiate PEN-Plus services at two district hospitals in the coming months.
Nigeria NCDI Poverty Commission Holds Priority Setting Workshop
The Nigeria NCDI Poverty Commission met in Abuja and online on 14 July 2022 to review priority non-communicable diseases and injuries (NCDIs) and plan next steps.
Cameroon Commission Sets Priorities Based on Situation Analysis
The Cameroon NCDI Poverty Commission convened in Yaounde for a four-hour meeting on 31 May to set priorities based on an initial analysis of the non-communicable diseases and injuries (NCDI) burden in the country.