IS4NCDs Set to Tackle Non-Communicable Diseases Through Education and Research

2 January 2025

A significant collaboration has emerged to combat the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Africa with the launch of the IS4NCDs project (Capacity Building in Implementation Science Education for Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Management in Africa). This visionary initiative unites leading higher education institutions across South Africa, Zambia, and Europe to develop skilled health, education, and research teams specialised in implementation science addressing NCDs.

The project brings together the University of the Witwatersrand and Stellenbosch University in South Africa; the University of Zambia and Copperbelt University in Zambia; and European partners including UMC Utrecht, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, and the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp.

IS4NCDs aims to build postgraduate programmes that equip current and future health professionals with the competencies needed to translate policy into effective, context-specific health interventions against diseases like cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and cancer—conditions increasingly prevalent in African communities.

This collaborative effort reflects a shared mission to strengthen capacity and foster innovation in health systems, ultimately improving prevention and management of NCDs where they are most needed. The launch marks a hopeful step towards sustainable health improvements in Africa through education, research, and international partnership.

Key figures driving this project include experts such as Martin Heine, Juliana Kagura, and Grace Marie V. Ku, alongside many others dedicated to advancing implementation science for better public health outcomes.

The IS4NCDs initiative is supported by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme, highlighting the importance of global cooperation in addressing health challenges of the 21st century.