By Samwel Doe Ouma
Cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs), including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and kidney disease, continue to pose a growing public health challenge across East Africa.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) now account for an estimated30–45 percent of all deaths in the region, with CMDs driving much of this burden.
To step up regional efforts in advancing NCD and implementation research, the Novo Nordisk Foundation has entered into a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Health (MoH) Kenya, the Non-communicable Diseases Alliance Kenya (NCD Alliance of Kenya), and the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) to support a 12-month initiative on research agenda-setting and capacity mapping aimed at prioritising key knowledge gaps for CMD service delivery.
“Africa’s NCD burden is intensified by a persistent gap between research and implementation,”said Dr Evelyn Gitau, Chief Scientific Officer at SFA Foundation. “This initiative focuses on identifying service-delivery bottlenecks and strengthening regional research capacity so that African-led science can more effectively inform policy, practice, and investment.”
This collaboration focuses on strengthening the evidence-to-action pathway for NCDs by supporting national research priority-setting, identifying key knowledge and practice gaps in CMD service delivery at the primary healthcare level, and mapping institutional and technical capacity for CMD implementation research across East Africa.
At the heart of the initiative is the development of a nationally endorsed NCD Research Agenda for Kenya, with a particular focus on cardiometabolic diseases. The process will be shaped through broad consultations with policymakers, researchers, civil society organisations, patient advocates, and persons with lived experience.
Dr Gladwell Gathecha, Ag. Head of the Division of Non-Communicable Diseases at the MoH emphasised the importance of anchoring research investment in national priorities. “Kenya’s response to non-communicable diseases must be guided by evidence that reflects our realities and priorities,” she stated. “This initiative enables us to lead the development of a nationally endorsed NCD Research Agenda that aligns research investment with the needs of our health system, strengthening primary care and accelerating progress towards quality equitable and sustainable NCD prevention and control.”
For NCDAK, inclusivity, accountability, and NCD health equity remain central to the agenda-setting process. “Effective NCD research must be inclusive, accountable, and grounded in lived experience while applying an equity lens,” the Alliance noted. “We are proud to support a consultative process that brings together policymakers, researchers, civil society, and persons with lived experience to shape a research agenda that responds to real gaps in care, amplifies community voices, and drives action where it matters most.” Added Dr Catherine Karekezi, Executive Director, NCD Alliance Kenya.
The NCD research agenda is expected to constitute a coherent framework for coordinated investment in NCD and CMD research and strengthen the translation of evidence into policy and practice.
“We are excited for this project to be launched and looking forward to seeing the Ministry of Health formulating the NCD research agenda to identify key knowledge gaps, particularly within CMD research,” added Mette Ide Davidsen, Director of Global & Public Health, Novo Nordisk Foundation, when announcing the grant as she underscored the urgency of strengthening locally led, implementation-focused research.
By uniting relevant stakeholders within policy, research, and advocacy, this initiative aims to strengthen the evidence-to-practice pathway for NCDs by supporting national research priority-setting and mapping research capacity across East Africa.