Network Stories
Major Milestones for the Three East African Countries Implementing PEN-Plus
Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia are on track to open their first PEN-Plus clinics and training sites in the coming months.
Network Promotes PEN-Plus at 4th Global Congress on Sickle Cell Disease
A team that included NCDI Poverty Network Co-Chair Dr. Gene Bukhman, Voices Advocacy Fellow Eunice Owino, and Advocacy & Training Associate Lauren Brown traveled to Paris in June to represent the Network and promote PEN-Plus at the 4th Global Congress on Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
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.
WHO Leaders Discuss PEN-Plus at the World Health Assembly
Leaders from the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO), WHO Headquarters, and other stakeholders invested in the implementation of PEN-Plus met in Geneva on 24 May to discuss PEN-Plus as a key strategy for decentralizing care for severe NCDs and providing the world’s most vulnerable with accessible and affordable health care for chronic conditions including type 1 diabetes (T1D), sickle cell disease (SCD), and rheumatic and congenital heart disease (RHD/CHD).
Network Co-Chairs Dr. Ana Mocumbi and Dr. Gene Bukhman Travel to Sofala Province Ahead of PEN-Plus Implementation in Mozambique
NCDI Poverty Network Co-Chair Dr. Ana Mocumbi and the Mozambique Co-Secretariat and Southern Africa Regional Hub team recently hosted NCDI Poverty Network Co-Chair Dr. Gene Bukhman and Director of Programs Dr. Emily Wroe for a three-day visit to the provinces of Maputo and Sofala as Mozambique prepares to implement PEN-Plus.
Phase 1 Commissions Learn From Each Other in Fifth Learning Workshop
For the first time on 25 May, NCDI Poverty Commissions that launched in 2021 and are working on Phase 1 of the Commission process – situation analysis and priority-setting – presented to other Phase I Commission teams in the fifth Learning Workshop titled “Learning From each other - progress updates from Nigeria and Cameroon.”
Network Co-Chair Gene Bukhman visits Lusaka, as Zambia prepares to initiate PEN-Plus services
As Zambia prepares to open its first two PEN-Plus clinics, NCDI Poverty Network Co-Chair Gene Bukhman traveled to Lusaka in mid-May.
Cambodia NCDI Poverty Commission Convenes for First Meeting
The Cambodia NCDI Poverty Commission held its first official meeting on 20 May 2022. The Cambodia Commission is hosted by Khmer HIV/AIDS NGO Alliance (KHANA) and the Ministry of Health NCD Division.
Steering Committee Discusses Future of Integration Science and Intention to Strengthen Partnership with WHO
The NCDI Poverty Network Steering Committee held its fifth meeting on 9 May 2022.
Burkina Faso Commission Celebrates Launch Event
The Burkina Faso NCDI Poverty Commission officially launched on 22 April 2022.
New Knowledge Exchange Series Kicks Off
The NCDI Poverty Network’s new Knowledge Exchange series kicked off on 30 March with over 80 participants meeting online to discuss the importance of prioritizing severe NCDs and injuries that impact children and young adults living in extreme poverty as a key to achieving universal health coverage.
Mozambique Co-Secretariat and Southern Africa Regional Hub Prepare to Open Office at UEM
Five months after the launch of the NCDI Poverty Network Co-Secretariat and Southern Africa Regional Hub at Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) in Maputo on 27 October 2021, the Mozambique Co-Secretariat is preparing to move into office space assigned for it on the main university campus.
Overcoming Stigma to Become an Advocate for Kids with Cancer in Uganda and Beyond
“I fought cancer and won, and now I’m fighting the stigma that people with NCDs are doomed to die, because everyone deserves access to affordable NCD treatment. I hope others who have lived with cancer and other NCDs will feel empowered to share their stories to break down stigma and demand access to treatment for all.“
Two Liberian Physicians Will Become Their Country’s First Cardiologists Through Uganda Heart Institute Fellowship
Two young Liberian physicians – one an internist, the other a pediatrician – traveled to Uganda in mid-February to pursue three-year cardiology fellowships at the Uganda Heart Institute.
Research to Measure Demand for PEN-Plus in Africa Finds Ministries of Health Are Determined to Expand Access to Care for Severe NCDs
A study co-authored by researchers from the NCDI Poverty Network and the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) has found that health ministries in Africa have ambitious plans to address gaps in availability of services for severe NCDs by introducing and decentralizing care for insulin-dependent diabetes, heart failure, sickle cell disease, and chronic pain control over the next five years.
Rwanda Successfully Pilots Heart Failure Training Model that Will Facilitate PEN-Plus Scale-up Across the Network
A training model that combines in-person classroom instruction with a digital, e-learning platform has been successfully piloted in Rwanda to train PEN-Plus nurses and physicians in the knowledge, skills, and competencies to diagnose and treat heart failure.
Fourth Learning Workshop Focuses on Priority Setting
The event began with an introduction to priority setting by Dr. Neil Gupta, Director of Policy for the Secretariat, who conducted polls to begin conversation and encourage knowledge sharing between attendees.
Network Co-Secretariat and Southern Africa Regional Hub Launched
Leading NCDI policy makers, researchers, care providers, and advocates, including the Minister of Health, His Excellency Dr. Armindo Tiago, and Dr. Orlando António Quilambo, Rector of Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), convened in Maputo on 27 October for the launch of the Mozambique Co-Secretariat and Southern Africa Regional Hub of the NCDI Poverty Network, which will be based at UEM.
NCDI Poverty Network Steering Committee Holds Third Meeting to Review Progress and Plan Next Steps
The NCDI Poverty Network Steering Committee held its third meeting on 22 September 2021 to assess progress and make plans to advance the Network’s four strategic initiatives.
Study in Malawi Shows CHW Programs Can Be Successfully Expanded to Address NCDs and Antenatal Care
The stepped-wedge cluster randomized controlled trial evaluated expanding an existing HIV and tuberculosis (TB) CHW program to include NCDs, malnutrition and TB screening, as well as family planning and antenatal care (ANC).