World Diabetes Foundation

02/06/2026

In Kenya, over two decades of partnership have culminated in the largest project in WDF’s history. ✒️

Our recent visit brought Leif Fenger Jensen, Mads Loftager Mundt, and Helen Wamuyu BSc, MPH together with WDF board Vice-Chair Elin Jäger and Carissa Vados from Novo Nordisk, Rikke Novo Nordisk Foundation, and Professor Kaushik Ramaiya to follow the progress of this historical undertaking.

Implemented with the The Ministry of Health, Kenya and partners including the Council of Governors-Kenya, Kenya Diabetes Management & Information Centre (DMI), PATH, Medtronic LABS, Kenya Defeat Diabetes Association KDDA, NCD Alliance Kenya, and FORPRO (Fountain Research and Programs Office), the national programme continues to scale up efforts to strengthen prevention and care for diabetes and hypertension at primary health care level in 35 counties across Kenya. Anchored within national systems, the initiative addresses three major health system strengthening pillars: governance and decentralisation, health system capability, and advocacy and operational research.

Visiting Thika Level 5 Hospital and Githunguri Health Centre in Kiambu County further showed how these efforts are being translated into practice at facility and community level. Hearing patient voices from the Changing Diabetes in Children (CDiC) programme and patient support groups re-emphasised the importance of sustained focus on health workers' capacity and patients' self-management towards improved quality of life.

At the centre of the program is a shared commitment to partnership. As Kenya works to strengthen NCD prevention and care, this initiative demonstrates that lasting impact depends on long-term commitment, national ownership, and coordinated action across partners.

We’re grateful to our many partners who have made all this possible, including the Ministry of Health, Kenya and Dr. Gladwell Gathecha, as well as Newton Ngugi, Jakob Mollerup, Ayodotun Oladiran, Francis Njenga, Amos Gitonga M, Dr. Nancy Ngugi, Joan Kimetto, and Elvirah Riungu 💙.

21/05/2026

Screening is just the first step of NCD prevention and care. Linking people to integrated care and services is where the impact truly happens.

Discover how the Diabetes Compass Project is using District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) to strengthen NCD care in Malawi and Sri Lanka. 🧭

🔗 Read the full article here:

Health authorities in Malawi and Sri Lanka are using DHIS2 and other digital tools to build screening and referral systems for diabetes and hypertension, supporting an increasing focus on the health risks of non-communicable diseases.

18/05/2026

The rising burden of diabetes and other NCDs is reshaping health systems in the Dominican Republic. As a response, the Ministry of Health has made addressing NCDs a national priority.

With support from the World Diabetes Foundation, the country is strengthening primary healthcare through integrated diabetes and hypertension services, improved training for health workers, and more people-centred care.💙

Read more➡️ https://buff.ly/Inz6vzr

13/05/2026

What does it mean to re-imagine health systems in Africa? 💭

Last week, Nairobi became a global meeting point for public health leadership. Attracting over 3,000 leaders, innovators, and changemakers from over 80 countries, this landmark summit helped shape the next chapter of Africa’s health response.

The theme? Reimagining Africa’s health systems: Innovation, Integration and Interdependence. Convened by the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa CDC, and the The Ministry of Health Kenya, the 3-day summit focused on the scale of today’s challenges and the power of collective solutions. Key topics included digital health innovation, community-led primary healthcare, polycrisis preparedness, and integration of NCD care into primary health care.

Joined by panellists from The Ministry of Health Kenya, NCD Alliance Kenya, Africa CDC, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation, our colleague Newton represented the World Diabetes Foundation in the side-panel organised by Africa CDC on Accelerating Universal Health Coverage through Multisectoral Action on NCDs. They spotlighted the newly launched SPARK-NCDs programme, a flagship initiative aiming to strengthen NCD surveillance and improve data generation. Combined with enhanced data and surveillance systems, workforce capacity, and integrated care, panelists shared insights on the role of aligning digital health strategies with strong multisectoral collaboration at every level of care.

As noted by Dr. Mohammed Janabi, WHO AFRO Regional Director, a public health crisis doesn’t test how good a doctor or nurse is; rather, it tests how well the entire health system works under pressure.

This summit sends a clear message: resilient health systems depend on collective action, and we’re excited to continue the journey with partners across sectors and communities. 💙

07/05/2026

Early-life prevention is key to shaping lifelong health outcomes and reducing future diabetes risk.🔍️

Join us on May 19th, on the side-lines of the World Health Assembly, for an event on advancing leadership to prevent childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Co-hosted with the International Diabetes Federation and the World Obesity Federation, the event brings together global leaders and policymakers to accelerate action, especially in LMICs, where the impact is greatest.

Register to join online: https://buff.ly/Hi03qdz

Join the conversation shaping stronger, coordinated action to prevent childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes.💙

29/04/2026

In rural Rwanda, empowered community health workers are the bridge between village dwellers and the nearest health facility, ensuring that NCD care reaches the last mile. 💙

During a recent routine home visit in Rwanda, our colleague Newton, joined by NovoNordisk's Francis attended a trained community health worker to see digital health in action.

Using a smartphone and the community electronic medical records system (cEMR), Marie Rose, a community health worker in Busogo village, captures patient data in real time. When elevated blood glucose or blood pressure readings appear, the system flags the case and triggers a referral to the nearest health centre.

This is part of Rwanda Health's rollout of cEMR, alongside the eBuzima system, now being deployed in around 208 health centres, with plans to scale nationally to secondary care facilities.

Anchored in Rwanda’s National Strategic Plan for NCDs, the project is helping decentralise NCD service and has:
🔹 Trained 100+ doctors, 2,000 nurses and 12,000 CHWs
🔹 Expanded Type 1 diabetes care to at least 150 health centres
🔹 Strengthened access to treatment through Zipline drone delivery, cutting delivery times from days to minutes

By combining digital innovation with trusted community health workers, Rwanda is setting a model for equitable NCD care at scale.

14/04/2026

What does integrated NCD care look like in a country as diverse as Colombia? 🇨🇴

In partnership with Fundación Vida Nueva, we are working to integrate non‑communicable disease (NCD) care across disciplines and population groups in Colombia. Our colleague Line recently attended the official project launch, which convened partners from Fundación Vida Nueva, the Health and Education Secretariats, and the Colombian Endocrinology Association, among other partners. The strong multisector presence reflected a shared commitment to addressing NCDs through more coherent, integrated approaches.

As Joaquín Armenta, President of Fundación Vida Nueva, noted at the launch, this collaboration is "united for the health of our pregnant women and our children. For Colombia, a new dawn in our country’s public health.”

The initiative aims to implement a life-course approach that integrates NCD prevention and care into maternal and child health services and healthy school environments. By expanding on our existing hyperglycaemia in pregnancy initiatives to cover a broader range of metabolic disorders within antenatal and postpartum care, this programme responds to both clinical need and context.

Colombia is a multi‑ethnic country, with notable Indigenous and Afro‑Colombian communities in several of the departments where the project operates, alongside a high number of Venezuelan migrants, including pregnant women. As a result, challenges manifest differently across communities.

Recognising these differences, the project is designed to accommodate unique cultures across ethnic groups. A focal person with contextual knowledge has been appointed in each department to ensure that implementation is adapted to each local population.

Beyond patient-centered approaches in primary health care systems, integrating NCD care also means acknowledging that population needs vary, and that effective solutions must be shaped with communities rather than imposed uniformly. By grounding health system strengthening in local context and multisector collaboration, we move closer to equitable and sustainable NCD care for all. 💙

09/04/2026

The Diabetes Compass is on track to scaling in Sri Lanka! 🧭

With 1 in 6 adults in Sri Lanka living with diabetes, strengthening early detection and continuity of care is a public health priority. Through the Diabetes Compass initiative, the Ministry of Health - Sri Lanka, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka College of Endocrinologists and HISP Sri Lanka, have successfully rolled out digital solutions across five facilities in the proof-of-concept phase of the Diabetes Compass initiative. These digital solutions aim to digitalise the cascade of care from early detection of diabetes and hypertension at community level, case management of NCDs at healthcare facilities to aggregating data for policy-level decision support.

During a recent field visit, our colleagues Jackie and Martin had the opportunity to meet key stakeholders including the Ministry's NCD Deputy Director, Dr. Champika Wickramasinghe and the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Hansaka Wijemuni. They visited health facilities in Kalutara District and Galle, where they saw the solutions in practice, and met the dedicated nurses, community health workers, and doctors who bring this work to life every day.

The visit reinforced a core lesson: Implementing digital solutions is complex. Successful implementation requires flexibility and adaptability, particularly during the deployment phase, to accommodate valuable inputs and changing needs of healthcare workers in the frontline.

A key focus of the visit was also aligning with the Ministry of Health on a sustainability and scale-up plan, to move from the five proof-of-concept facilities toward national integration.

We're grateful for all of our partners, as we look towards this next phase to co-create a path towards sustainability. 💙

07/04/2026

Health must be guided by evidence.📊

This World Health Day, let's champion science-led approaches for wellbeing and health. Data and innovation are central to improving diabetes care and shaping robust health policies.🌏️

Through our WDF24-1932 project, the Tribal Health Collaborative is developing inclusive, culturally sensitive models aimed at preventing diabetes and other non-communicable diseases in tribal districts across India. By addressing key risk factors and building scientific understanding, supported by an extensive study involving 10,000 adults and 4,000 adolescents; we are paving the way for a healthier tomorrow.

Learn how you can support science and build a healthier world: https://buff.ly/uNRMGQw

02/04/2026

Bringing care closer 💙

Last week, our colleagues visited the the Changing Diabetes in Children (CDiC) clinic and a level 3 clinic in Machakos county, Kenya.

Before CDiC, dedicated type 1 diabetes services in Kenya were limited and often overshadowed by type 2 diabetes. Since being onboarded as a CDiC hub in 2013 and established as a Centre of Excellence in 2016, the clinic has become a vital referral and training hub, now supporting 388 children and young people living with T1D and serving neighbouring counties.

We were also honoured to join a peer support group session, held once a month at the Mukunike health centre, a level 3 clinic, where people living with diabetes receive care, practical education, and a community. This clinic is one of the 361 health facilities supported by WDF project implemented by the Kenya Diabetes Management & Information Centre and the ofhealth, Kenya.
By investing in frontline clinics, the project is helping ensure that early detection, continuity of care, and follow-up treatment are part of everyday primary healthcare.

Both the healthcare professionals at the CDIC clinic and the community health workers at the level 3 clinic know the names and the stories. That’s what bringing care closer looks like: trust, follow-up, and community, right where it’s needed most.