Novo Nordisk Foundation to support crucial education of health professionals in India, East Africa 

Partnership for Education of Health Professionals is expected to run until 2030

With the launch of the Partnership for Education of Health Professionals (PEP), the Novo Nordisk Foundation takes a step towards reducing inequity in health by initially targeting the education of health professionals in underserved regions in India and East Africa.

The Novo Nordisk Foundation has launched PEP and will together with various local partners, support the education of health professionals in improving the prevention and care of non-communicable diseases, particularly cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The partners will include health authorities, universities and educational institutions. PEP is expected to run until 2030.

Professor Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO, Novo Nordisk Foundation, said, “Our vision for PEP is that people living in vulnerable positions in rural India and East Africa should have equitable access to high-quality prevention and care for cardiometabolic diseases. These diseases are the primary cause of death globally, and in low- and middle-income countries the prevalence is increasing rapidly. I am confident that PEP can have a tremendous impact on both prevention and care. Through PEP, we will also promote gender equality by empowering women to flourish in their profession as health professionals and researchers.”

PEP will be implemented across multiple geographical locations across India and East Africa. In India, the need is especially urgent in the North-eastern Region, where access to quality health care is under particular pressure.

Atul Kotwal, Professor and Executive Director, National Health Systems Resource Centre, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, said, “The PEP vision and mission are fully aligned with the Indian Government’s prioritisation of investing in human resources capacity building in healthcare to be on par with global top standards. Evidence shows that building capacity among the nurses, the largest cadre of healthcare providers, vastly improves the quality and acceptability of healthcare services. This is particularly pertinent today as we are preparing for a stronger response to the rising burden of e.g. noncommunicable diseases. Educating more and better-qualified health professionals is a top priority for the Ministry of Health in India, so I am pleased with the prospects of PEP and the potential it holds to improve health outcomes for people in the region.”

In East Africa, PEP will initially be launched in Kenya and Tanzania, where there is political commitment to prevent and manage cardiometabolic diseases.

Kaushik Ramaiya, Professor, Chairman of CDC Africa Advisory Panel and NCDs and President-elect of the NCD Alliance East Africa Initiative, says, “The burden of cardiometabolic diseases is increasing rapidly in East Africa where health systems already are over-burdened with communicable and non-communicable diseases.

“One of the challenges is access to adequate quality training at pre-service and post-service levels. With the initiation of PEP, there is hope that healthcare providers will get adequate and up-to date-knowledge about non-communicable diseases. Thereby they will be better enabled to manage early diagnosis and complications – and ultimately reduce the overall burden and save lives.”