News and Features


Salimatu Sesay Follows Her Heart
Paula Byron Paula Byron

Salimatu Sesay Follows Her Heart

For years, Sesay’s headaches, fever, and pain had been misdiagnosed as malaria, the flu, or a simple cold. It wasn’t until she accessed echocardiographic services at a newly opened PEN-Plus clinic that she was able to receive her diagnosis.

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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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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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João Mindo: A PEN-Plus Success Story
Allison Westervelt Allison Westervelt

João Mindo: A PEN-Plus Success Story

For three years, João Mindo had difficulty walking, eating, and even breathing. It wasn’t until a PEN-Plus clinic opened in rural Mozambique that he received his diagnosis: rheumatic heart disease. Following mitral valve repair surgery in Maputo, the 14-year-old now receives care close to home.

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