Dr Gladwell Gathecha, Acting Head of the Division of Non-Communicable Diseases at the Ministry of Health./ PHOTO ; Courtesy
Cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease are increasingly straining health systems across East Africa.
While non-communicable diseases (NCDs) now account for an estimated 30 to 45 per cent of all deaths in the region, research gaps and weak translation of evidence into practice continue to undermine effective prevention, early diagnosis, and long-term care, particularly at the primary healthcare level.
A new regional initiative seeks to address these gaps by strengthening locally led, implementation-focused research on cardiometabolic diseases.
The Novo Nordisk Foundation has entered into a strategic partnership with Kenya’s Ministry of Health (MoH), the Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance of Kenya (NCDAK), and the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) to support a 12-month research agenda-setting and capacity-mapping initiative.
The collaboration aims to prioritise key knowledge gaps and improve service delivery for cardiometabolic diseases across East Africa.
At the centre of the initiative is the development of a nationally endorsed NCD Research Agenda for Kenya, with a specific focus on cardiometabolic diseases.
The agenda will be shaped through broad consultations involving policymakers, researchers, civil society organisations, patient advocates, and people with lived experience of NCDs.
“Africa’s NCD burden is intensified by a persistent gap between research and implementation,” said Dr Evelyn Gitau, Chief Scientific Officer at the 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.”
The partnership seeks to strengthen the evidence-to-action pathway by supporting national research priority-setting, identifying gaps in cardiometabolic disease service delivery at the primary healthcare level, and mapping institutional and technical capacity for implementation research across East Africa.
For the Ministry of Health, anchoring research investment within national priorities is essential for sustainable progress. Dr Gladwell Gathecha, Acting Head of the Division of Non-Communicable Diseases at the MoH, said Kenya’s response to NCDs must be guided by evidence that reflects local realities.
“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,” she said.
“By strengthening primary care, we can accelerate progress towards quality, equitable, and sustainable NCD prevention and control.”
Inclusivity and equity are central to the agenda-setting process.
The NCD Alliance of Kenya emphasised the importance of involving communities and people living with NCDs in shaping research priorities.
“Effective NCD research must be inclusive, accountable, and grounded in lived experience while applying an equity lens,” said Dr Catherine Karekezi, Executive Director of NCD Alliance Kenya.
“This consultative process brings together policymakers, researchers, civil society, and people with lived
experience to shape a research agenda that responds to real gaps in care and amplifies community voices.”
The resulting NCD Research Agenda is expected to provide a coherent framework for coordinated investment in cardiometabolic and broader NCD research, while strengthening the translation of evidence into policy and practice.
“We are excited to see the Ministry of Health lead the formulation of the NCD research agenda to identify key knowledge gaps, particularly within cardiometabolic disease research,” said Mette Ide Davidsen, Director of Global & Public Health at the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
By uniting stakeholders across policy, research, and advocacy, the initiative aims to strengthen regional research capacity and improve care for people living with NCDs.
As the burden of cardiometabolic diseases continues to rise, partners hope the effort will help translate evidence into action and reduce preventable illness and death across East Africa.
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