Second international conference on PEN-Plus in Africa (ICPPA 2025)
The Second International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa (ICPPA 2025) was held from 8 to 10 July 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria, following the successful inaugural event in April 2024 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Under the theme "Advancing the implementation of PEN-Plus for severe NCDs in Africa: Technical innovations, operational insights, and scalable solutions," the conference brought together over 450 participants (over 150 in-person and 300 online), including government representatives, technical experts, implementing partners, civil society, and people living with NCDs.
The event served as a strategic platform to accelerate the scale-up of PEN-Plus and align efforts with Africaʼs advocacy agenda for the Fourth United Nations High-level Meeting (UNHLM) on NCDs and mental health, scheduled for September 2025.
The objectives were to foster peer learning and strategic exchange on PEN-Plus implementation progress across Member States, showcase health systems innovations that promote access, equity, and resilience in severe NCD service delivery; and position PEN-Plus as a regional priority in Africaʼs advocacy towards the Fourth UNHLM on NCD.