PEN-Plus Approach:

Published on 13 Oct 2025

• The WHO Africa released a report on the innovative PEN-Plus strategy, adopted by the WHO African Region in 2022. 

• The PEN-Plus approach (Package of Essential Noncommunicable disease interventions – Plus) is a healthcare strategy developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2022.

• It was an improvement over the PEN approach launched in 2010 to address severe, chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) like type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and rheumatic heart disease in low-resource settings.

• PEN-Plus was originally developed in Rwanda and complements the existing WHO PEN by targeting complex conditions at district hospitals. 

• The approach trains nurses and clinical officers to provide diagnosis, treatment, and psychosocial support.

• India began its implementation of the PEN-Plus strategy with Chhattisgarh in 2024.

Keywords:

PEN-Plus Approach WHO World Health Organization Health Africa Noncommunicable disease Diseases Chhattisgarh Healthcare