First International Conference on the PEN Plus Regional Strategy to Address Severe NCDs

07 May 2024

M. Grupper recently represented the WSO at the 1st International Conference on the PEN Plus Regional Strategy to Address Severe NCDs in Africa held in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania from April 23rd to 25th. This significant event, co-organized by the WHO, NCD Poverty Network, and the Hemsley Foundation, attracted around 600 attendees, with an equal split between onsite and online participants. Diverse stakeholders such as health policymakers, WHO representatives, advocates, funders, and scientists specializing in NCD prevention and management converged to address pressing health challenges.

The conference primarily focused on raising awareness about NCDs, particularly highlighting the PEN Plus initiative which addresses rheumatic heart disease, diabetes, and sickle cell disease. It served as a platform for sharing best practices, advocating for investments, and identifying opportunities to enhance NCD management within African health systems.

M. Grupper had the privilege of contributing to a WHO panel discussion, where she spotlighted the impactful work of the WSO across Africa, notably in raising awareness of stroke and improving acute stroke care in Ethiopia and Tanzania. The central message underscored the urgent need to intensify efforts in combating stroke, a largely preventable and treatable disease.

Key strategies deliberated during the conference included the importance of leveraging accurate and timely data to measure intervention efficacy, fostering public-private partnerships for holistic solutions, optimizing existing resources to improve clinical efficiency, and the importance of involving individuals with lived experience to drive meaningful change.

Another pivotal aspect of the discussions was the imperative to establish sustainability programs, with a focus on national-level implementation led by governments in collaboration with other stakeholders.

Overall, the conference served as a catalyst for advancing the agenda of NCD prevention and management in Africa, uniting diverse stakeholders in a collective effort to address these pressing health challenges.