ICPPA 2025 – Call to Action

We, the participants of the Second International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa:

Recognize the immense burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) across Africa, particularly severe and chronic NCDs affecting children and individuals under 40 in poor socioeconomic conditions, with grave implications for health systems, human capital, and economic development.

Acknowledge that despite improvements in life expectancy, child survival, and access to health services, inequities persist—especially in managing severe and chronic NCDs—resulting in preventable suffering and premature deaths.

Reaffirm that strengthened primary health care systems—integrated with NCD, maternal, child, and infectious disease programmes—are foundational to achieving universal health coverage and equitable, life-saving care for severe and chronic NCDs.

Reiterate Africa’s commitment to the PEN-Plus framework to reach underserved populations through decentralized, integrated outpatient services.

Recall and reaffirm commitments made through:

• WHO Regional PEN-Plus Strategy (2022)
• Global NCD and Diabetes Compacts (2020–2030)
• UNGA Political Declarations on NCDs & WHO Global Action Plan 2013–2020
• Brazzaville Declaration on NCD Prevention and Control (2011)
• AU Addis Ababa Communiqué on RHD (2015)
• Ouagadougou Declaration on PHC & Health Systems (2010)
• Sickle Cell Disease Strategy for Africa (2010)

We commit to:

• Elevate severe and chronic NCDs as urgent health and development priorities.
• Advance integrated early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care at all levels for severe and chronic NCDs, with emphasis on primary and first-referral care.
• Promote people-centred care and multisectoral collaboration to reduce premature mortality from severe and chronic NCDs.

We call on Governments to:

• Fully implement PEN and PEN-Plus interventions to expand equitable access to essential services for severe and chronic NCDs in collaboration with WHO and Partners.
• Uphold and finance the PEN and PEN-Plus regional strategies, ensuring access to care for individuals with severe and chronic NCDs—regardless of geography or socioeconomic status.
• Strengthen national health systems, improve surveillance and data capturing for severe and chronic NCDs and ensure availability of affordable essential medicines and diagnostics, and institutionalize prevention and care.
• Demonstrate strong leadership in public health by increasing domestic investment, and fostering inclusive partnerships with civil society, development partners, and the private sector.
• Integrate WHOPEN and PEN Plus conditions into UHC package to alleviate the burden of NCDs on the most vulnerable populations.

We urge WHO to:

• Intensify its leadership, advocacy, and convening role with Partners, Governments and the Private Sector to keep severe and chronic NCDs and Universal Health Coverage at the centre of political and development agendas.
• Leverage their strength in normative functions to develop standards, tools and guidance documents to support the implementation of the PEN Plus Framework in Africa.
• Support resource mobilization, promote innovations and facilitate cross-country learning and coordination.
• Leverage existing collaboration with UN Agencies to address severe and chronic NCDs in children.

We call on Development Partners, Donors and the Private Sector to:

• Increase investment in children and vulnerable populations with severe and chronic NCDs.
• Promote innovation and local production of affordable health technologies.

We respectfully request:

• The WHO Regional Director for Africa to present this Call-to-Action to the 75th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa and the 2025 High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly in September.
• African governments to champion this Call-to-Action at the 2025 UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting to galvanize global commitment and secure greater investments for severe and chronic NCDs.

We express our sincere appreciation to the Federal Republic of Nigeria for hosting ICPPA 2025 and to all partners and donors for their continued support.