The Federal Government has called on African nations to intensify collaboration and accelerate the implementation of the PEN-Plus strategy to address the rising burden of severe non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on the continent.
The appeal was made by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako during his keynote address at the second International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa (ICPPA 2025), held in Abuja.
The high-level conference, themed “Advancing Implementation of PEN-Plus for Severe NCDs in Africa: Technical Innovations, Operational Insights and Scalable Solutions,” convened policymakers, technical experts, development partners, civil society organisations and NCD focal persons from across the African continent.
Salako warned that severe NCDs, especially Type 1 Diabetes, Sickle Cell Disease and Rheumatic Heart Disease, are increasingly affecting children and young adults, with dire implications for Africa’s workforce and development goals.
“Africa must rise to tackle the burden of NCDs not just as a health issue but as a matter of human security, economic growth, and sustainable development,” he stated.
He noted that in Nigeria, NCDs account for an estimated 24 to 30 per cent of all deaths, with most fatalities occurring in people aged 30 to 69, considered the nation’s most economically productive years. Many individuals, he added, are diagnosed only after complications emerge, underscoring the urgency of early detection and quality care.
To confront this growing health challenge, Salako said Nigeria has adopted a National Policy and Strategic Plan of Action for the Prevention and Control of NCDs. The strategy promotes a multisectoral response, integrates NCDs into Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and prioritises the primary health care (PHC) as the delivery platform for preventive and curative services.
He noted that the Nigeria Essential Package of NCDs (N-PEN) is already being rolled out in select PHC facilities, providing trained healthcare workers, diagnostic tools, and essential medications.
Building on this progress, Nigeria, with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO), is now piloting the PEN-Plus strategy at the secondary healthcare level. PEN-Plus focuses on improving outcomes for patients with severe chronic NCDs, especially in underserved regions.
“This is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, which prioritises health as a fundamental human right for every Nigerian,” the minister said.
He urged African countries to see the conference as a call to action and commit to scaling up PEN-Plus implementation by increasing investment, strengthening referral systems and improving access to specialised care.
“Let us make history by saving this generation – and generations to come – from the devastating consequences of these three severe NCDs,” he said.
Salako also expressed Nigeria’s appreciation to the WHO Regional Office for Africa for championing the PEN-Plus model and to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust for supporting its regional implementation.
The PEN-Plus strategy, derived from the WHO’s Package of Essential NCD Interventions, aims to decentralise specialised care, bolster health system resilience and ensure that even remote communities receive life-saving services for complex NCDs.
