The Permanent Secretary – Technical Services, Professor Lackson Kasonka, has commended the Centre for Infectious Diseases Research Zambia (CIDRZ) for supporting the rollout of the PEN Plus clinics at both Matero and Mwachisompola level one hospital.
Professor Kasonka says the move will cushion the lack of capacity and resources to manage severe NCDs effectively, further stating that the PEN Plus strategy motivates the ministry to implement standardized programs to combat chronic and severe non-communicable diseases by ensuring that necessary medicines, technologies, and diagnostics are available and accessible at district hospitals.
Speaking during the official opening in Lusaka at Matero Level One Hospital, Professor Kasonka thanked CIDRZ for managing to set up the two NCD clinics through Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.
He said the government would continue working in collaboration with the funding institutions, such as CIDRZ, which has, over the years, continued to offer tremendous support in ensuring that the people of Zambia have access to quality healthcare and enjoy the best possible health.
The PEN-Plus project is an integrated delivery strategy for chronic care of severe non-communicable diseases at intermediate-level facilities such as district hospitals, which is a buildup on the World Health Organization’s Package of Essential NCD Interventions (WHO PEN) for common NCDs.
And CIDRZ Chief Executive Officer, Dr Izukanji Sikazwe, has expressed happiness, stating that regardless of the challenges experienced, CIDRZ has successfully trained nurses and clinical officers through specialized doctors in the NCD sector. She said the training included deductive training and attachments within the different University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and National Heart Hospital (NHH) clinics.
‘In this regard, we have set up two NCD clinics that we are referring to as PEN PLUS clinics, which will focus on managing NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, epilepsy, mental health illness, chronic kidney, and lung diseases” said Dr Sikazwe
She further said the clinics at Mwachisompola Level 1 Hospital in Chibombo and Matero Level 1 Hospital in Lusaka have been operating since November 2022 and have since received from sponsors four (4) ultrasound machines, four (4) INR machines and four (4) ECG machines, which will go a long way in boosting the operations of these facilities.
We hope that the Ministry of Health and CIDRZ continue to work together to win the fight against NCDs and injuries for all Zambians. I trust this is only the beginning and hope to expand this initiative to benefit most of our people in Zambia,” she said.
During the 72nd session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa, CIDRZ adopted the PEN-PLUS strategy as a regional strategy to address severe non-communicable diseases at first-level referral health facilities.