3rd International Conference on the PEN-Plus Regional Strategy to address Severe NCDs in Africa (ICPPA 2026) - Call for Abstracts: Overview and Guidelines
In 2022, Member States of the WHO African Region endorsed the PEN-Plus strategy to strengthen the delivery of integrated services for chronic and severe NCDs at first-level referral facilities. PEN-Plus builds on the WHO Package of Essential Noncommunicable (PEN) Disease Interventions for primary health care and aims to reduce gaps in access to diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care for people living with severe NCDs. With support from the Helmsley Charitable Trust and in collaboration with the NCDI Poverty Network, the WHO Regional Office for Africa is implementing the project “Strengthening integrated prevention and control of chronic and severe NCDs in the WHO African Region”. The project uses type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, acute rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease, and congenital heart disease as entry points for operationalizing the PEN-Plus strategy. It contributes to Sustainable Development Goal target 3.4 by strengthening integrated care delivery for children and young adults living in vulnerable settings.
The conference will be convened in Dar es Salaam from 23 to 26 June 2026 by the WHO Regional Office for Africa, in collaboration with the Helmsley Charitable Trust and partners. It will provide a 3rd platform for policy-makers, health leaders, practitioners, and researchers from Africa and beyond to review progress in the prevention and management of NCDs. The conference will facilitate the exchange of experiences and lessons learnt from the implementation of integrated service delivery models, and support consensus on priorities for strengthening resilient health systems to address chronic and severe NCDs in the African Region.
