#PENPlusInAction at the 77th UN General Assembly

In many low- and middle-income countries, care for severe non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is only available at referral hospitals in major cities. This leaves much of the population without access to quality, affordable treatment – and we cannot accept this as normal, no matter where people live.

Last week, the Helmsley Charitable Trust - along with our colleagues from the NCDI Poverty Network, World Health Organization AFRO region, and 联合国儿童基金会 - hosted an event on the sidelines of the 77th UN General Assembly to launch the PEN-Plus Partnership, less than a month after WHO AFRO’s landmark decision to adopt the model as its official strategy for reducing the regional NCD burden.

Our partners, speakers, and panelists left me optimistic that the best is yet to come for PEN-Plus. With the support of leaders like Dr. Matshidiso Moeti (WHO AFRO), Dr. Juan Pablo Uribe ( 世界银行 ), Nancy Brown ( American Heart Association ), Aaron Kowalski ( JDRF International ), and Paladie Matageko (Voices of NCDI Poverty Fellowship), I am confident that the PEN-Plus Partnership will gain even more momentum over the next year.

“PEN-Plus is already telling a story of incredible impact,” as emphasized by Dr. Emily Wroe (NCDI Poverty Network). And by coming together on this urgent agenda for NCDs, the PEN-Plus Partnership has the power to deliver the strategy to every corner of our globe.

As supporters of NCD integration and the PEN-Plus strategy since 2014, The Helmsley Charitable Trust invites its fellow donors and global philanthropies to join the Partnership and choose investments that shift the paradigm and move the world closer to universal health coverage.

I encourage you to watch the recorded live stream on UNICEF Health’s Twitter and please feel free to reach out to learn more about the global PEN-Plus Partnership.