6 May 2006

The Implementation Science for Non-Communicable Diseases (IS4NCDs) Regional Consortium has taken a significant step forward in addressing the persistent gap between evidence and practice in NCD care across Africa. On day 2 of the IS4NCDs Regional Consortium Meeting held in Johannesburg, consortium members presented and discussed an Implementation Roadmap covering three new intermediate training modules designed to equip health workers, researchers, and programme implementers with the practical skills needed to improve NCD outcomes at scale.

The roadmap — developed collaboratively by Stellenbosch University (SUN), the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), the University of Zambia (UNZA), and other consortium partners — was shared as a structured planning document outlining both the curriculum design and the institutional delivery plans for each module.

Why These Modules? The Implementation Gap in NCD Care

Despite the availability of clinical guidelines for the prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment of non-communicable diseases, outcomes remain suboptimal across Sub-Saharan Africa. The roadmap's introduction frames the core challenge clearly: the chronic nature of NCDs — often involving multimorbidity, sustained self-management, and repeated contacts with health systems — means that even small failures in care delivery accumulate over time and undermine patient outcomes.

The consortium identified that existing training in quality improvement (QI) and implementation science (IS) has largely been delivered in parallel, without meaningful integration. QI programmes tend to focus on practical improvement methods, while IS programmes emphasise conceptual frameworks and research design — leaving a gap in applied, executable capability that frontline implementers urgently need. Critically, none of the existing QI training offerings in the region were specifically tailored to the NCD implementation context.

This is the gap the new IS4NCDs intermediate modules are designed to fill.

Three Modules, One Integrated Vision

The Implementation Roadmap covers three interconnected intermediate modules, each targeting a distinct but complementary capability area:

1. Quality in Implementation Science (QI Module)

Led by Stellenbosch University, this five-day intensive module targets frontline health workers and mid-level staff involved in QI initiatives. Participants work through the full arc of a quality improvement project — from problem identification and root cause analysis, to designing PDSA cycles and measuring outcomes — with explicit application to NCD service delivery.

The curriculum draws on major frameworks including the Model for Improvement (IHI), Lean, Six Sigma, and the Donabedian Model, while also engaging with South Africa's National Core Standards, Ideal Clinics Programme, and WHO's PEN and HEARTS technical packages. A notable feature is its use of Challenge-Based Learning (CBL), in which interdisciplinary participant groups identify a real-world NCD health systems gap on Day 1 and develop a full QI project proposal by Day 5 — assessed through a combination of presentations, group work, and an individual written component.

The module was developed building on Stellenbosch University's existing postgraduate QI offering, with additional input from QI experts at Wits and a structured review of offerings from UNISA, Harvard, the IHI Open School, and other institutions.

2. Mixed Methods Research in Implementation Science (MM Module)

This semester-long module (13 weeks, 10 credits) is designed for postgraduate students, early-career researchers, and NGO/government staff involved in NCD programme evaluation. Delivered in a hybrid format, it equips learners to design, conduct, and critically appraise mixed methods studies within an implementation science framework.

The rationale is compelling: implementation challenges in NCD care rarely have single-cause explanations. Quantitative data can reveal where gaps exist — in treatment initiation, retention, or disease control rates — but qualitative inquiry is needed to explain why those gaps persist. Together, mixed methods approaches strengthen causal inference, improve strategy tailoring, and enable more robust implementation evaluations.

The module covers core designs (convergent parallel, explanatory sequential, exploratory sequential, embedded, and multiphase), with a strong emphasis on integration — the defining feature that distinguishes genuine mixed methods research from simply running parallel studies. Assessment centres on a group-developed mixed methods research proposal addressing a locally relevant NCD problem.

The curriculum was benchmarked against offerings from the University of Toronto, UC San Diego, University of Southampton, and the University of Florida, while being adapted for the realities of low- and middle-income country research training.

3. Participatory Action Research in Implementation Science (PAR Module)

Coordinated by Stellenbosch University's Prof Lynn Hendricks, this 12-credit, semester-long module makes the case that effective NCD implementation depends on genuine co-creation with those who deliver and receive care — patients, communities, frontline providers, and health managers.

The PAR module covers the philosophical foundations of participatory research, community-based participatory research (CBPR), co-design methodologies, stakeholder mapping, ethics and reflexivity, and the design of participatory implementation studies. It is grounded in African health system realities and draws on a structured review of more than 20 international programmes offering participatory research training, from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Rhodes University to Johns Hopkins, Uppsala, and Erasmus Rotterdam.

A key finding from the consortium's formative review was that while strong global content exists on participatory research and on implementation science, few curricula bring both strands together in a way that is explicitly oriented toward NCD implementation in African contexts. This module directly responds to that gap.

Designed for Sustainability and Scale

A consistent thread across all three modules is attention to long-term sustainability. Each is designed for integration as a credit-bearing elective within existing postgraduate programmes, reducing dependence on standalone short-course funding. Annual curriculum reviews, participant feedback mechanisms, and internal and external moderation processes are all built into the institutional delivery plans.

The modules will be hosted on the IS4NCD Wits online hub (QI module) and SunLearn/Ulwazi (PAR and MM modules), ensuring accessible, scalable delivery across the consortium's partner institutions.

A Roadmap With Regional Ambition

The fact that this roadmap was developed collectively — and presented at the IS4NCDs Regional Consortium Meeting in Johannesburg for cross-institutional input and alignment — reflects the programme's broader ambition. IS4NCDs is not building capacity at one institution; it is building a regional ecosystem of implementation scientists and improvement practitioners who share frameworks, tools, and a commitment to evidence-based NCD care.

For higher education institutions in the region, the programme offers curriculum innovation aligned with national priorities for chronic disease control and universal health coverage. For health systems, it promises graduates who are not only conceptually equipped but operationally ready — able to reduce variation in care, strengthen referral systems, embed continuous measurement into routine services, and carry the evidence-to-practice work forward with communities rather than at a distance from them.

The IS4NCDs Implementation Roadmap is a detailed, actionable document. But more than that, it is a signal of what becomes possible when academic institutions, health systems, and implementation science communities work together with a shared purpose: better NCD outcomes for populations who can least afford the consequences of the know–do gap.

5 May 2026

The IS4NCDs (Implementation Science for Non-Communicable Diseases) programme aims to build regional capacity to address the growing burden of NCDs through evidence-based, contextualised implementation science. Central to this mission is the development and piloting of curriculum modules — core, intermediate, and advanced — designed to equip a diverse range of learners with the skills to bridge the gap between research evidence and real-world health practice.

Day 2 focused on two major areas: the operational and structural decisions needed to move the modules from design to delivery, and a deeper exploration of the content and frameworks underpinning the core modules.

Setting the Stage: From Recap to Decision-Making

The day opened with a structured recap of Day 1, which had covered the IS4NCDs competency framework — a set of five competency clusters spanning implementation science expertise, general research competence, communication and dissemination, and interpersonal and participatory research skills. These competencies formed the basis for linking learning outcomes across all modules.

Rather than proceeding directly to content discussions, the consortium made an important procedural decision: to first settle the operational questions — where modules will be piloted, in what format, under which accreditation structures, for which audiences, and over what duration. This decision-first approach was seen as essential for ensuring that subsequent content discussions would be grounded in realistic, agreed-upon parameters.

To support this process, a shared Excel template was distributed to all participants and working groups, enabling structured, parallel discussions across the core, intermediate, advanced, and executive course groups simultaneously.

Core Modules: Operational Decisions

The core module group — the Copperbelt University team — presented the following agreed positions:

Format: All core modules will be delivered in a hybrid workshop format, combining online and in-person elements. This was chosen to balance accessibility with the interactive, collaborative nature of the learning activities.

Piloting Across Four Institutions: A key proposal was to pilot all core modules at all four consortium institutions simultaneously. To make this feasible, the proposed model involves online lectures streamed into classrooms at each institution, with local facilitators supporting face-to-face group work in each location. This approach was noted for its efficiency — effectively running twelve pilots in the time of one — while also enabling institutions to slightly tailor the experience to their local context and target audience.

Accreditation: In Zambia, micro-credentialing frameworks do not yet exist in the same form as elsewhere. The consortium agreed to proceed with workshop delivery and Certificate of Attendance as an immediate outcome, while simultaneously pursuing formal accreditation through higher education authorities — a process estimated to take approximately six months. The long-term goal is formal micro-credentialing or short course accreditation across all participating institutions, with the understanding that terminology varies across national qualification frameworks (NQF).

There was substantive discussion around the distinction between a Certificate of Attendance and a Certificate of Competence. While the latter is more valuable to participants — particularly where credits could contribute toward a degree — it requires prior formal accreditation. Given programme timelines, the Certificate of Attendance approach for the pilot phase was accepted as a pragmatic necessity, with competence-based certification as a medium-term goal.

Target Audience: The core modules will target individuals with a minimum of a bachelor's degree, drawn from multidisciplinary backgrounds including health professionals, social scientists, computer scientists, and those already working in or adjacent to implementation science. Discussion surfaced important nuances around NQF levels — particularly for nurses and midwives whose qualifications may not be classified at bachelor's level in all national frameworks, and how institutions might accommodate this variation.

Duration: The core modules are planned as six-week programmes, with approximately 24 hours of contact time spread across the period, supplemented by individual study, group assignments, and field activities. Some participants advocated for a more compact format — ideally condensed into one or two weeks — based on experience that continuity and engagement tend to suffer in programmes spread over many weeks among working professionals.

Intermediate and Advanced Modules: Overview

While the core modules were the primary focus of the day's content discussions, leads from the intermediate and advanced module groups also presented their operational decisions.

Intermediate Modules: All intermediate modules — covering Quality Improvement, Mixed Methods, and Participatory Action Research — will be delivered fully online, structured as five-day intensive short courses with subsequent assignment periods. The exception is the Mixed Methods module, which will run over six months, with the intensive week followed by a forty-hour proposal preparation phase. Accreditation will be sought at NQF Level 9. The target audience includes health systems programme managers, clinicians, and public health practitioners, with researchers included specifically for the Mixed Methods and Participatory Action Research modules.

Advanced Modules: The advanced modules — covering Health Economics and Implementation Science, Multisectoral Approaches and Context Adaptation, and Adapting Theories, Models and Frameworks — will be delivered in a hybrid format, largely because challenge-based learning (a key pedagogical approach) was seen as difficult to implement effectively in a fully online environment. The advanced modules target participants with at least two years of experience as implementers, researchers, or programme officers. Health Economics will be offered as a five-day course, while the other two will be delivered as intensive two-and-a-half-day workshops.

Core Module Content: What Will Be Taught?

Following the operational discussion, the consortium turned to the substance of the core modules, presented by the Copperbelt University team responsible for their development.

Module 1: Fundamentals of Implementation Science

This foundational module introduces participants to the theory and practice of implementation science, with a particular focus on the African health context. Key conceptual areas include:

• Differentiating efficacy, effectiveness, and implementation — moving from "can it work?" to "does it work?" to "how can we make it work in our setting?"
• The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR 2.0) — a widely used framework covering intervention characteristics, inner and outer organisational settings, individual factors, and implementation processes.
• The RE-AIM Framework — focusing on Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance, with particular attention to equity across each dimension.
• Fidelity and Adaptation — exploring the balance between implementing a programme as designed and contextualising it for local realities, and the concept of core functions versus adaptable forms.

The module grounds these frameworks in the African context, where health systems have historically been oriented toward infectious disease management and are now navigating a significant epidemiological transition toward NCDs.

Module 2: NCD Epidemiology and Determinants

This module situates NCDs within the broader epidemiological and social landscape of Africa. Key areas include:

• The Syndemic Framework — rather than viewing NCDs in isolation, this framework examines the interactions between infectious diseases, NCDs, and structural barriers. For example, long-term HIV treatment has contributed to rising rates of metabolic conditions and cardiovascular disease in the region.
• The Social Ecological Model — exploring how individual health outcomes are shaped by community, organisational, and policy-level factors, and how implementation strategies must account for this hierarchy.
• Commercial Determinants of Health — including the role of industries such as tobacco, alcohol, and processed food in undermining health promotion efforts.
• Equity — a throughline across the module, examining how social determinants such as socioeconomic status continue to produce health disparities even when programmes are being implemented.

Module 3: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Programme Design

This module focuses on designing, implementing, and evaluating programmes using implementation science tools. Key areas include:

• The ERIC Taxonomy — a framework of 73 implementation strategies grouped into categories, supporting practitioners in selecting and categorising their implementation approach.
• The Implementation Logic Model — mapping from problem identification through inputs, activities, outputs, and proximal and distal outcomes.
• Implementation, Service, and Client Outcomes — understanding how effectiveness is measured at multiple levels, from programme penetration to quality of life improvements.
• Economic Evaluation — an introduction to costing and economic considerations in implementation, with deeper content reserved for the advanced Health Economics module.

Curriculum Development: A Knowledge Co-Creation Process

A distinctive feature of the IS4NCDs curriculum development process has been the formation of Knowledge Creation Teams (KCTs) — multi-stakeholder groups that contributed to shaping the content of each module. KCT members included academic staff from consortium universities, postgraduate students (including Master of Public Health students), frontline health workers such as physicians, and policy makers from Ministries of Health.

Through structured needs assessments and consultations, the KCTs informed the curriculum in four key areas: institutional resource assessment, learner career trajectory and demand, practitioner buy-in and perceived need, and policy alignment. The resulting curriculum content was then mapped against the IS4NCDs competency framework to ensure alignment and completeness.

This process also surfaced important contextual differences between institutions — for example, stronger methodological expertise at some institutions and deeper clinical context at others — which informed how content is balanced and where each institution's contribution is most valuable.

Cross-Cutting Themes: Equity, Sustainability, and South-to-South Learning

Several themes recurred throughout the day's discussions, reflecting the programme's broader values and commitments.

Equity was raised repeatedly — not only in terms of curriculum content (ensuring that learning addresses the needs of marginalised populations), but also in terms of access to the programmes themselves. Participants emphasised the importance of avoiding financial or logistical barriers that would exclude the very practitioners the programme seeks to reach. The observation that previous online pilot offerings attracted hundreds of applicants was taken as evidence of strong demand — and as a reminder that design choices around format, cost, and scheduling have real equity implications.

Long-term sustainability was a major concern. The consensus view was that the pilot phase serves not only project deliverables but also the long-term goal of embedding these modules into the regular offerings of each consortium university. Some institutions are already planning to integrate short-course participants into existing postgraduate classes, creating a pathway that serves both short-course and degree-seeking students simultaneously.

South-to-South collaboration was highlighted as a distinctive and underappreciated strength of the programme. While much global health capacity building flows from North to South, IS4NCDs deliberately fosters peer-to-peer exchange between Zambia and South Africa — building shared knowledge and institutional relationships that will outlast the project itself.

Looking Ahead

The discussions concluded with a clear sense of direction. Operational decisions have been made — or are close to being finalised — across all module tiers. The curriculum content for the core modules has been presented and is undergoing refinement through competency and learning outcome mapping. The next steps involve deeper content-level discussions for all modules, finalising roadmaps for each institutional pilot, and continuing the parallel accreditation processes.

The IS4NCDs consortium is demonstrating what becomes possible when institutions across countries and disciplines work together with a shared commitment to relevance, equity, and rigour. The modules being designed are not just courses — they are an investment in a generation of implementation scientists equipped to address the NCD challenge in Africa and beyond.

4 May 2026

We're thrilled to share key takeaways from our workshop, presented by Lisa Pfadenhauer, Marie Therese Schultes, and Judith van de Kamp on Day 1 of the IS4NCDs Regional Consortium Meeting, focusing on the didactic foundation and competency framework for Implementation Science in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). This vital work, supported by the European Union's Erasmus+ programme, is paving the way for more effective NCD interventions, especially in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).

Our workshop delved into several crucial areas:

• Principles of Learning: We explored crafting reality-based, context-sensitive learning environments that foster diversity, trust, and critical reflection.
• Learning Orientation: The discussion emphasized cultivating systems thinking, critical analysis, and the ability to map relevant disciplines and stakeholders for integrated approaches.
• Competency Framework: A robust framework was presented, developed through extensive research and contextualization. This framework identifies crucial skills for NCD implementation science expertise, research, communication, and interpersonal collaboration.

The IS4NCDs project aims to synthesize existing implementation science (IS) competency frameworks for applying them to NCD prevention and care in LMICs. It also seeks to provide an evidence base for capacity building in implementation science education for non-communicable disease prevention and management in Africa.

The development of this framework involved a rigorous methodology:

• A rapid review of the literature describing IS competency frameworks.
• Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycInfo.
• Screening of 8888 abstracts and 117 full-texts in Rayyan.
• Inductive coding of competencies in MAXQDA.

A recent survey study, involving professionals from 22 LMICs, provided invaluable insights into the prioritization, appropriateness, feasibility, and acceptability of our competency framework. We identified key barriers such as funding and resource constraints, and facilitators including leadership, organizational commitment, and capacity building.

The framework consolidates competencies into 5 clusters, each with 3-5 sub-competencies. These clusters include:

• Implementation Science Expertise: Define & understand IS, describe, select & apply IS TMFs, incorporate health equity in IS, apply organizational & policy knowledge.
• General Research Competencies: Identify & prioritize needs & problems, acquire & manage research projects, search for, synthesize & appraise evidence, evaluate implementation outcomes systematically, scientifically assess & analyze data.
• Implementation Research Competencies: Design implementation research studies, identify & understand contextual factors, select & apply de-implementation strategies, monitor outcomes & tailor strategies/interventions, apply principles of sustainability & scale-up.
• Communication & Dissemination Competencies: Communicate clearly & appropriately, build capacity for research & implementation, disseminate research findings.
• Interpersonal Competencies: Apply leadership & teamwork skills, engage & co-create with community members, collaborate interprofessionally & build sustainable partnerships.

To further contextualize the competency framework for NCD prevention & care in LMICs and determine the relevance of competencies for different target groups, the next steps include:

• Focus group discussions with NCD experts.
• A survey study with interest holders with different roles in NCD management in LMICs.

The IS4NCDs Regional Consortium Meeting is taking place from 4 to 8 May 2026 at the esteemed University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.

This crucial five-day event will gather consortium members and dedicated educators from across the region to collaborate on advancing the vital field of implementation science for non-communicable diseases. The meeting serves as a cornerstone for strengthening regional capacities, fostering innovative approaches, and collectively addressing the growing global burden of NCDs.

Key Objectives and Agenda Highlights

The meeting's overarching objectives include enhancing educational frameworks by familiarizing new teachers with cutting-edge course content and Challenge Based Learning (CBL) methodologies; strategic implementation planning through reflecting on and refining the implementation roadmap for core, intermediate, and advanced modules; piloting future initiatives by concluding the preparation phase for various modules and reaching consensus on the piloting of short courses planned for 2026 and 2027; knowledge exchange by sharing initial experiences and best practices from the preparation phase among all participants; and ensuring sustainability by initiating critical discussions on the long-term sustainability of project outcomes and their broader impact.

Participants will engage in a dynamic program designed to foster collaboration and strategic planning. Key agenda highlights include:

• Monday, 4 May: The meeting will commence with participant arrivals, a project re-introduction, and a dedicated workshop on competency frameworks and didactical elements.
• Tuesday, 5 May: Discussions will focus on the core, intermediate, and advanced modules, aiming to refine educational approaches.
• Wednesday, 6 May: The agenda features executive course discussions, eHub updates, further alignment of didactical elements, and intensive breakout sessions for module development.
• Thursday, 7 May: Key activities will involve project management, planning, and the crucial development of piloting agendas for all modules, alongside evaluation framework discussions.
• Friday, 8 May: The final day will be dedicated to summarizing conclusions, clarifying outstanding points, and outlining the critical next steps for the consortium's collective efforts.

This meeting is a testament to IS4NCDs' commitment to driving impactful research and educational initiatives that translate scientific discoveries into tangible health improvements. The outcomes of this gathering are expected to significantly contribute to the development of effective strategies for NCD prevention and management in the region.

We look forward to a productive week of collaboration and innovation that will shape the future of implementation science for non-communicable diseases.

18 March 2026

As the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) intensifies in low- and middle-income countries, the IS4NCDs consortium is set to convene its highly anticipated regional meeting from 4 to 8 May 2026 at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg, South Africa. Hosted by one of Africa's leading public universities, this gathering brings together educators, implementers and health experts from partner institutions to propel the project's mission: equipping Southern African universities with innovative, scalable training programmes to combat NCDs such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

IS4NCDs (Implementation Science for Non-Communicable Diseases) is a collaborative initiative focused on strengthening implementation science education for NCD prevention and management in South Africa and Zambia. By emphasising practical, context-adapted education, the consortium develops short courses and postgraduate modules at core, intermediate and advanced levels, along with an executive programme and a regional eHub. These offerings use innovative pedagogies, including challenge-based and other active learning approaches, to immerse participants in real-world health challenges and foster skills in evidence-based interventions, policy translation and stakeholder engagement. The Johannesburg meeting marks a critical juncture, shifting from preparation to piloting and long-term sustainability.

Key Objectives: From Onboarding to Consensus

The agenda is packed with targeted objectives designed to build momentum and resolve key challenges for the next project phase.

First, the meeting will make new teachers familiar with the course content and Challenge Based Learning (CBL). Through interactive sessions and demonstrations, newcomers will explore how CBL and related methods can transform passive learning into active problem-solving. For example, a module on hypertension management might ask participants to design and test context-appropriate strategies for improving treatment adherence in a specific clinic or district, ensuring that educators are prepared to guide learners through applied implementation challenges.

Participants will then reflect on Parts A and B of the implementation roadmap for each module, which guide planning and roll-out across partner institutions. Part A is concerned with early steps such as defining learning outcomes, adapting content to institutional contexts and mapping available resources, while Part B focuses on practical aspects of delivery, including teacher preparation, stakeholder engagement and evaluation. Building on experiences from earlier consortium meetings and work package activities, partners will examine what has worked well and where adjustments are required to ensure smooth implementation.

A major focus in Johannesburg will be concluding the preparation phase of the core, intermediate and advanced modules. Attendees will review teaching materials, case studies and assessment strategies, and align on minimum quality standards before piloting begins. Sharing initial experiences from the preparation phase—such as how teams integrated local data, or adapted examples to different health system settings—will help build a shared understanding and promote cross-country learning.

Piloting and Sustainability on the Horizon

The consortium also aims to reach consensus on the piloting of the short courses and modules in 2026 and 2027. Discussions will address which sites and programmes will host early pilots, indicative timelines, and broad principles for monitoring outcomes such as learner engagement, competency development and perceived relevance for NCD-related work. Lessons from these pilots will inform further refinement and, ultimately, integration of the modules into accredited postgraduate pathways.

In addition, the meeting will open the first structured discussions on sustainability of the project outcomes after the formal project end date. Themes are expected to include how best to embed the modules into existing degree structures, maintain and expand access to the eHub, and continue collaboration between South African, Zambian and European higher education institutions. With NCDs rising sharply across South Africa and Zambia and placing increasing strain on health systems, building lasting institutional capacity in implementation science education is central to the IS4NCDs vision.

A Working Space for Consortium Partners

The Johannesburg regional consortium meeting is designed as an internal working space for IS4NCDs partners. Attendance will consist of consortium members and invited teaching staff, including approximately four teachers from each participating higher education institution in South Africa and Zambia. By creating dedicated time and space for joint reflection, detailed planning and hands-on engagement with the new modules and teaching approaches, the meeting aims to strengthen the shared ownership and readiness needed for successful piloting and long-term sustainability of IS4NCDs training activities.

9 March 2026

The IS4NCDs consortium's implementation science roadmap for non-communicable disease (NCD) programmes – currently under development – recognises that bridging the 'know-do' gap requires more than just effective interventions. Practical expertise is needed to deploy them reliably, equitably, and with consistent quality across diverse settings and populations. Despite solid clinical protocols for prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment initiation, adherence support, and sustained follow-up, NCD outcomes frequently disappoint owing to patchy delivery and health systems unprepared for reliable, ongoing care. NCDs' chronic, multimorbid profile – requiring persistent self-management, interdisciplinary teamwork, and regular system touchpoints – allows even minor procedural slips to compound over time, jeopardising results. A structured suite of modules is thus vital to empower the workforce in translating evidence into routine NCD practice through measurable, collaborative, and viable means.

The programme fosters progressive skill-building. Foundational implementation science modules cover essential concepts, theories, frameworks, and outcomes (including acceptability, feasibility, fidelity, adoption, reach, equity, and sustainment), alongside skills for pinpointing contextual drivers and adapting strategies. Subsequent intermediate modules in quality improvement, mixed-methods research, and participatory action research (PAR) supply practical tools for service deployment. The quality module enables learners to build dependable learning systems, curb unjustified variation, and leverage metrics for advancement (via process/balancing measures, run charts, and time-series tracking), all while balancing fidelity against necessary adaptations in multifaceted NCD pathways. Mixed-methods approaches are indispensable, since NCD issues rarely trace to singular causes: quantitative data highlights gaps (e.g., in treatment starts, retention, or control rates), while qualitative insights reveal root explanations (e.g., workflow bottlenecks, patient challenges, team interplay, or cultural norms). In tandem, they bolster causal understanding, strategy refinement, and rigorous evaluations – even hybrid types. PAR stands out for NCD contexts, where enduring shifts rely on co-design with service users and providers: patients, communities, frontline workers, and managers. It cultivates expertise in joint problem identification, ethical collaboration, cyclical co-development, and shared review, enhancing strategy legitimacy, adoption, and endurance – particularly for self-care and care continuity.

Participating higher education institutions gain curriculum renewal attuned to national imperatives for chronic disease control, primary healthcare bolstering, and universal coverage. The programme equips graduates to champion hands-on implementation, quality drives, and inquiry partnerships; ignites inter-field education and research across public health, clinical practice, management, and data expertise; and forges avenues for scholarly work like implementation reviews, mixed-methods analyses, and PAR learning collaborations. It further casts institutions as leaders in learning health systems that yield practice-derived evidence to guide redesign and scaling.

Nationally, this IS4NCDs consortium initiative – actively being shaped – elevates NCD performance by fortifying evidence-based intervention delivery with reliability, efficiency, equity, and durability. Graduates emerge equipped to narrow care inconsistencies, reinforce referral/follow-up networks, uphold clinical protocols, and weave continuous measurement and adaptation into everyday services. Integrating implementation science with quality, mixed-methods, and PAR not only hones strategy decisions but cultivates grassroots commitment, astute modifications, and compelling scale-up evidence – yielding better control, fewer complications and avoidable admissions, enhanced patient journeys, and resource efficiencies over time.

17 February 2026

The IS4NCDs consortium shared insights on strengthening implementation science capacity at the 4th Swiss Implementation Science Conference “True IMPACT – Providing Innovation for Patients and the Public”, held on 12–13 February 2026 at the University of Zurich. At a well‑attended poster presentation, Marie‑Therese Schultes and Martin Heine invited delegates to discuss 26 unique competency frameworks for implementation science and practice.

Poster Highlights: 26 Frameworks, One Shared Goal

The poster showcased how diverse competency frameworks describe what implementation scientists and practitioners should know and be able to do. The work identified 26 frameworks and consolidated their competencies into five clusters and three sub‑competence domains, capturing areas such as theoretical and methodological knowledge, stakeholder engagement, contextual adaptation, and evaluation of implementation processes and outcomes.

From Competency Framework to Real‑World Capacity

The IS4NCDs consortium is co‑developing new modules, an executive course, and an open eHub that draw on these synthesised competencies while adapting them to regional health system priorities and resource constraints.

This work supports the broader goal of IS4NCDs: strengthening institutional capacity so that health professionals, educators, and researchers are equipped to translate evidence and NCD policies into sustainable practice.

Engagement and Next Steps After IMPACT 2026

Throughout the conference, Schultes and Heine used the poster as a conversation starter with researchers, practitioners, and policy‑makers interested in clarifying and benchmarking implementation science competencies. Discussions touched on how the synthesised frameworks could be applied in different health systems, and where additional work is needed to reflect the realities of low‑ and middle‑income countries and NCD‑focused implementation efforts.

Following IMPACT 2026, the IS4NCDs consortium will continue with the development of its competency‑based modules and executive course, and share emerging lessons through its training and engagement platforms.

31 January 2026

IS4NCDs consortium members will join global implementation science leaders at the 4th Swiss Implementation Science / IMPACT Conference 2026 in Zurich, highlighting the consortium’s growing role in shaping how innovations reach patients and communities. The conference, themed True IMPACT – Delivering Innovation for Patients and the Public, will take place on 12–13 February 2026 at the University of Zurich and brings together researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and other stakeholders committed to closing the gap between research and real-world practice.

Implementation science is at the heart of both IMPACT 2026 and IS4NCDs’ mission. The conference will showcase Swiss and international projects that have successfully translated research findings into clinical practice and diverse care settings, emphasizing practical tools, methodological advances, and lessons learned from implementation efforts. Preconference workshops, keynotes, and oral and poster sessions will offer participants hands-on opportunities to deepen their knowledge, engage with cutting-edge frameworks, and explore how implementation science can support more effective and sustainable health interventions.

This focus aligns closely with IS4NCDs (Implementation Science for Non-Communicable Diseases), a consortium that addresses the urgent need to build a skilled health and research workforce in Southern Africa capable of applying implementation science to the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). IS4NCDs brings together universities in South Africa and Zambia with leading European partners, including UMC Utrecht, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, and the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, to co-develop innovative curricula and training programs in implementation science. The project includes the development of new course modules, an executive programme, and an open access eHub, with content embedded into existing education programmes and adapted for continuing professional development.

The presence of IS4NCDs consortium members at IMPACT 2026 creates a platform to connect African and European perspectives on how implementation science can respond to the growing NCD burden. By engaging with peers from across disciplines and regions, IS4NCDs representatives will share experiences from curriculum development, capacity-building initiatives, and partnerships that support evidence-based NCD care. These exchanges are expected to spark new collaborations around joint research, education, and implementation projects that can be adapted to different health system contexts, from Switzerland to Southern Africa.

Participation in the conference also reinforces IS4NCDs’ commitment to ensuring that implementation science is not only an academic field, but a practical driver of change in health systems. By contributing to discussions at IMPACT 2026 and learning from other implementation success stories, the consortium aims to strengthen its efforts to develop a diverse NCD workforce and to support the translation of evidence into better health outcomes for patients and communities.

22 November 2025

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) present an urgent and growing health challenge across sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa and Zambia. According to an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, recently published in The Lancet, NCDs are now responsible for nearly two-thirds of global disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), with ischaemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases as leading contributors. In Southern Africa, this burden is compounded by rapid urbanisation, economic and social transitions, and persistent inequities, placing immense strain on public health systems.

In South Africa, the percentage of deaths due to NCDs increased from 24.2% in 2000 to 49.6% in 2023; this equates to  1 out of every 2 deaths in South Africa  due to  an NCD.. Significantly, 54% of NCD deaths occur in those aged less than 70 years, indicating a high rate of premature mortality . Despite national strategies and policies, such as the National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs 2020–2025, implementation is challenging due to a complex interaction of competing priorities, insufficient access to essential medicines, health workforce challenges, and infrastructure gaps, amongst others.

In Zambia, nearly 40% of all deaths can be  attributed to NCDs, of which nearly three quarters are premature. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory conditions, and cancers dominate disease patterns. The 2017 WHO STEPS survey identified three distinct risk groups within the Zambian population: Low-Risk (12%), Intermediate-Risk (64%), and High-Risk (24%), placing nearly 88% of the population at immediate or high risk for NCDs. This is expected to further strain the health system and resources, and pose higher economic burden. Zambia’s National Health Strategic Plan (2022–2026) aims to reduce NCD-driven mortality by strengthening prevention, multi-sector collaboration, and primary care capacity, recognising the need for a holistic approach to tackle the burden of NCDs.

Implementation Science: The Pathway to Sustainable Progress

Many risk factors could be mitigated through effective and sustainable implementation of contextual solutions. The 2023 global burden of disease study highlights that 88 modifiable risk factors - including blood pressure, diet, tobacco use, and air pollution - are responsible for a significant portion of the NCD burden.  Adapting global evidence into local practice, with robust monitoring and catalysed by a multi-sector approach, can strongly contribute in achieving more sustainable progress Implementation science and research offers a methodological paradigm for this translation, supporting professionals along the implementation pathway through theory, models, frameworks, rigorous appraisal of context in relation to implementation outcomes, and monitoring and evaluation of the implementation-effectiveness of implementation strategies, amongst others.  

Strengthening Institutional Capacity

IS4NCDs, a consortium led by universities in South Africa, Zambia, and Europe, targets the urgent need to develop skilled health, education, and research teams in implementation science; to strengthen the capacity for navigating change in the very professionals that are responsible for implementing innovation within their setting and across the (health) system IS4NCDs’ competency-based modules and including an executive implementation science course, created in collaboration with local stakeholders, will prepare professionals to lead change from the clinic to the policy level. The programmes will build capacity  in integrating and sustaining NCD prevention and care strategies into broader health systems and educational institutions.

23 October 2025

Better late than never—we are thrilled to finally celebrate the June 2025 promotion of Dr. Choolwe Nkwemu-Jacobs to Associate Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Zambia. This milestone is significant not only for Dr. Jacobs personally but also for the IS4NCDs (Implementation Science Education for Non-Communicable Disease) community, where her passionate involvement drives impactful change.

Dr. Jacobs is a distinguished global health researcher whose work greatly advances health equity and strengthens public health outcomes both locally and internationally. As the first female Associate Professor in the School of Public Health, she has made history and set a powerful example of inclusive leadership and resilience. Her visionary thinking, tireless advocacy, and dedication to mentorship continue to inspire colleagues, students, and all those engaged in IS4NCDs.

Beyond her academic achievements, Dr. Jacobs’s role as Founder and Country Lead of Women in Global Health Zambia amplifies her commitment to elevating diverse voices and fostering collaboration in health research and policy. Her leadership embodies the spirit of our community—championing excellence, empowerment, and innovation in the fight against non-communicable diseases.

Congratulations, Professor Jacobs! This achievement is a well-deserved recognition of your unwavering commitment to advancing public health and implementing science for better outcomes. Your impact continues to inspire and uplift the IS4NCDs community and beyond.

23 September 2025

The Fourth United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting (HLM4) on the 25th of September 2025 represents a pivotal moment for global leaders to renew commitments toward enhancing and expanding financing for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health. Sustainable financing strategies must integrate targeted interventions with broader health system reforms, emphasising equitable access and multisectoral cooperation. Achieving progress toward universal health coverage means ensuring affordable, high-quality care for these conditions—an essential step toward a healthier and more equitable future for all.

Building on this, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released insightful guidance on financing NCDs and mental health ahead of HLM4. These insights spotlight the economic and health benefits of investing in cost-effective interventions, the urgent need for increased domestic funding, innovative revenue mechanisms, and the importance of bridging treatment gaps.

Investment Case for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health

WHO underscores that investing in NCD and mental health interventions is not only vital for health but makes strong economic sense. An additional investment of just $3 per person annually in NCD prevention and management could generate up to $1 trillion in economic returns by 2030 globally. Furthermore, every $1 invested in evidence-based NCD policies can yield as much as $7 in returns through productivity gains, reduced health care costs, and other economic benefits.

Increased Domestic and Strategic Spending

Despite the growing burden of NCDs and mental health disorders, funding for these conditions constitutes a small fraction of health budgets, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. WHO calls for substantial increases in public domestic financing directed at equitable access and prioritisation of primary health care-based services. This requires strategic allocation of resources toward interventions proven to be cost-effective and targeted to reach underserved populations equitably.

Innovative Financing Mechanisms

WHO advocates for innovative financing approaches beyond traditional government budgets to close persistent financial gaps. Health taxes on products such as tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages have triple benefits: discouraging harmful consumption, generating revenue for health services, and supporting poorer households by reducing spending on these products. Additionally, international development assistance remains crucial to catalyse national actions and help overcome barriers to implementation.

Multisectoral Governance and Action

Addressing NCDs and mental health effectively requires multisectoral collaboration across health, finance, education, agriculture, transport, and other sectors. WHO recommends institutionalising governance frameworks with clear roles and accountability mechanisms to develop, implement, and monitor coherent NCD and mental health policies that reduce risks and promote healthy environments.

Strengthening Health Systems

WHO highlights a pressing need to strengthen health systems by adopting more flexible public financial management, moving away from rigid budget structures, and prioritising integrated care models. Improved data governance and digital tools can facilitate cross-sector coordination, while financial protection mechanisms can shield individuals from catastrophic health expenses related to chronic conditions.

Addressing Mental Health Treatment Gaps

Mental, neurological, and substance use conditions are a major and growing source of global disease burden, but a large majority of affected individuals receive no treatment. WHO emphasises the need for equitable financing of mental health services supported by legal and policy reforms, sustained workforce investment, and expanded community-based care. The WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health represents a major effort to scale up services universally in community settings, particularly within primary and secondary health care frameworks.

Input from IS4NCDs Consortium Member

Adding to the global dialogue, Dr Grace Marie V. Ku, a Public Health Expert, Family and Community Medicine Physician-Specialist, Health Researcher and Academic, currently with the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp and a consortium member of the IS4NCDs project, shared her perspectives as a discussant in the fifth and final webinar hosted by the World Bank and WHO on financing NCDs and mental health, which was held on the 18th of September 2025. She emphasised that the concept of integrated care should extend far beyond the common interpretation of collaboration among healthcare professionals. Dr Ku advocates for integration that includes care delivered at home by the individual or their primary carer, addressing the biomedical, psychological, and social dimensions of the person for true person-centred care. She outlined a comprehensive vision wherein integration encompasses promotion and prevention throughout the life course, timely risk identification, immediate connection to care, sustained patient retention and self-management support, early complication management, rehabilitation, end-of-life care, and support for informal carers. Furthermore, Dr Ku stressed that integration must also cover services beyond direct patient care, including access to quality medicines, seamless health information systems, and community-based promotive and preventive services. Importantly, she called for multisectoral engagement beyond the health sector to tackle the underlying determinants of NCDs. Her insights underscore a broad and ambitious approach to integration as central to advancing NCD care and prevention at the global level.

Looking Ahead to HLM4

The 2025 Fourth UN High-Level Meeting offers a critical opportunity for governments to review progress, strengthen financial commitments, and adopt ambitious policies for the prevention and control of NCDs and promotion of mental health and well-being. Strong, sustained financing mechanisms paired with equitable, multisectoral governance and robust health systems will be key to advancing towards the Sustainable Development Goals related to health and well-being by 2030.

12 September 2025

The fifth and last webinar in WHO’s series on “Sustainable Financing for NCDs and Mental Health” will take place on 18 September 2025, at 8:00 AM Washington, DC time (12:00 PM UTC). This session will highlight key insights from the June 2024 international dialogue, which brought together ministries of health and finance, development partners, civil society, and technical experts to discuss innovative financing approaches for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health.

In the lead-up to the Fourth High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly (#HLM4) on September 25, where Member States are expected to endorse a bold political declaration to accelerate NCD prevention and control, this webinar provides a crucial platform for reflection on priority actions. Key topics include addressing the prices of medicines, establishing supportive digital health systems, and advancing health service delivery research.

The webinar aims to strengthen collaborative efforts by uniting diverse stakeholders in the health and finance sectors to promote sustainable financing models and policies that align fiscal and health priorities. By sharing lessons learned and concrete recommendations, the session will contribute to mounting global momentum ahead of the UN High-level Meeting.

Those interested are encouraged to register in advance using the following link: https://worldbankgroup.zoom.us/webinar/register/8817573414801/WN_Ibac60i8TgKjFUVXVzbJcQ#/registration.

This final webinar marks an important milestone in advancing sustainable financing solutions for NCDs and mental health, setting the stage for transformative commitments at the upcoming UN forum.