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Dear Colleagues and Partners,

The burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), mental health conditions, violence, injuries, and disability is rising in the WHO African Region, threatening health and development. Countries face high levels of hypertension, diabetes, cancer, sickle cell disease, mental health disorders and preventable injuries. These challenges are further heightened by persistent gaps in access to essential
services, medicines, and technologies.

Despite this, the African Region shows resilience, with Member States increasingly adopting key WHO frameworks such as the Package of Essential NCD Interventions (WHO PEN), PEN-Plus, the Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP), and the SHAKE, SAFER, ACTIVE, and REPLACE technical packages to address major risk factors. For cancer, the Women’s Integrated Cancer Services (WICS) is increasingly becoming a blueprint for the future of women’s health in Africa. These evidence-based tools, supported by strengthened surveillance, help countries better understand their NCD burden and resource needs, informing more efficient and equitable health system planning. The WHO African Region noncommunicable diseases and mental health programme is now focused
on coordinating multisectoral action and activities that emphasize people centred integrated care, stronger governance, expanded access to essential medicines, and scaledup prevention across the life course as highlighted in the various stories in this bulletin.

Our country support is anchored by our strategic investment areas in mainstreaming NCDs and mental health, expanding access to quality NCD and mental health care, and strengthening mental health governance and health system capacity. 

As a result, this support includes strengthening health promotion, reducing modifiable risk factors, reinforcing PHC-based NCD and mental health services, while improving surveillance and mobilizing partnerships and resources towards SDG targets.

As we move through this strategic period, we remain committed to supporting Member States to prioritize NCDs, use digital innovation to build resilient systems and empower communities. We are grateful to the partners who have joined us in this journey.

Together, we can change the trajectory of NCDs in the African Region.

Dr Benido Impouma,
Director
Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Control Cluster
WHO Regional Office for Africa