The Partnership for Education of Health Professionals (PEP) Program Launched in Kenya.

Posted on : Friday , 2nd February 2024

The Novo Nordisk Foundation helped to develop the program at the Kenya Medical Training College's Gatundu campus.

The Novo Nordisk Foundation launched the project in 2023 with the goal of reducing health disparities. Its initial focus is on the education of medical professionals in underprivileged areas of India and East Africa.

The overworked healthcare systems in low- and middle-income nations like Kenya served as the impetus for the establishment.

Despite the acute shortage of health professionals, there is a rapidly increasing prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as cardiometabolic diseases, including diabetes and hypertension.

The foundation states that the project aims to give healthcare professionals with sufficient and current information regarding non-communicable diseases.

The PEP is going to be implemented in several rural areas in East Africa and India.

PEP will be first introduced in East Africa's Kenya and Tanzania, where there is a political resolve to control and prevent cardiometabolic illnesses.Heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, renal disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are among the preventable health problems that fall under the category of cardiometabolic disorders.

"Here in Kenya, the surge in NCDs is not just a health concern; it is a roadblock to our long-term economic growth," Health CS Susan Nakhumicha stated.

These illnesses now account for more hospital fatalities and 50% of hospital admissions, surpassing even HIV/AIDS and malaria.

The goal is to guarantee fair access to high-quality prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic disorders for those residing in rural regions who are at risk.

The Ministry of Health states that KMTC will be crucial to the project's execution.

Utilizing a hub-and-spoke methodology, the initiative will create six central hubs for coordination, with KMTC Embu acting as the pilot hub during the first phase.

According to Nakhumicha, Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret and Kisumu will follow KMTC Embu.

PEP aims to develop a worldwide partnership network that facilitates the sharing of innovation and new information among partners in East Africa, Denmark, India and other regions of the world.

Health practitioners will be better prepared to prevent and treat cardiometabolic disorders in those who are vulnerable as a result of this initiative.