Nigeria Seeks Stronger Commitment To Combat Non-Communicable Diseases

The Nigerian government has urged African nations to strengthen collaboration and scale up the implementation of the PEN-Plus strategy to address the growing burden of severe non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across the continent.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, made the call while delivering a keynote address at the second International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa (ICPPA 2025) on Tuesday in Abuja.

The high-level conference, themed “Advancing Implementation of PEN-Plus for Severe NCDs in Africa: Technical Innovations, Operational Insights, and Scalable Solutions,” brought together policymakers, experts, development partners, civil society organisations, and NCD focal persons from across Africa.

The PEN-Plus model, derived from the WHO Package of Essential NCD Interventions, aims to decentralise specialised care and strengthen referral systems in resource-constrained settings, ensuring that even the most underserved populations can access life-saving NCD services.

Salako expressed concern over the increasing rate of severe NCDs—particularly Type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and rheumatic heart disease—among younger populations, warning that this trend threatens Africa’s development.

He stressed that the burden of NCDs must be tackled not only as a health issue but also as a matter of human security, economic progress, and sustainable development.

“NCDs currently account for 24 to 30 percent of deaths in Nigeria, with the majority occurring between the ages of 30 and 69—prime working years,” he said.

He further noted that the situation is similar across many African countries, where access to specialised care remains limited, especially in rural and peri-urban communities.

Salako also highlighted that most sufferers are unaware of their condition until fatal complications occur, underscoring the importance of early diagnosis and access to quality, affordable care.

However, the minister disclosed that Nigeria has developed a National Policy and Strategic Plan of Action for the Prevention and Control of NCDs to reverse the trend.

According to him, the policy prioritises multi-sectoral collaboration, integration with Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and strengthening of Primary Health Care (PHC).

He added that the country is already implementing the Nigeria Essential Package of NCDs (N-PEN) in PHCs, providing trained personnel, medical equipment, and essential drugs.

“Building on this progress, Nigeria, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), is piloting the PEN-Plus strategy at the secondary healthcare level to improve outcomes for children and young adults living with severe NCDs.

“This aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which treats the health of every Nigerian as an urgent matter of right,” Salako said.

He urged participants to see the conference as a call to action, and appealed for renewed commitment from African governments to scale up PEN-Plus implementation, increase funding, and improve access to care.

“Let us be part of history by saving this generation and generations unborn from the devastating effects of these three severe NCDs,” he added.

Salako also extended Nigeria’s gratitude to the WHO-AFRO Office for championing the PEN-Plus approach and to the Leona M. and Harry B. Hemsley Charitable Trust for supporting its implementation across the region.