The Advocacy Agenda of People Living with NCDs in Kenya crystallises recommendations of over 50 people living with NCDs, representing a wide range of NCD conditions for improvements in NCD prevention and control in Kenya.
PublishedMar 2018
AuthorNCD Alliance
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The Advocacy Agenda of People Living with NCDs in Kenya was built at the 1st Kenya Multi Stakeholders Workshop on Communication and Advocacy for NCDs hosted by the NCD Alliance of Kenya in partnership with the NCD Alliance on March 2018 in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together over 130 diverse stakeholders in the NCD response in Kenya, including 52 people living with NCDs. The workshop was part of a two-day meeting attended by people living with NCDs, Kenyan Ministry of Health officials, Country First Ladies, NCD Alliance of Kenya members and other NCD stakeholders to facilitate the meaningful involvement of people living with NCDs in the NCD policy-making and health systems strengthening processes as well as in civil-society led action on NCDs.
Over 50 people living with NCDs, including care partners, shared their experiences, challenges, and perspectives on how the NCD response can be transformed to improve NCD prevention and control in the country. The Advocacy Agenda of People living with NCDs in Kenya was developed through an iterative process based on discussions undertaken during the workshop and by identifying key ‘asks’ raised by people living with NCDs and caregivers.
The national advocacy agenda, available in English and Swahili, is organised by stakeholder group, including the national and county level governments, multilaterals, global NCD stakeholders, relevant private sector, civil society and people living with NCDs groups and individuals, highlighting specific ‘asks’ from each group.
Workshop participant living with sickle cell disease, Kenya
Since the launch of the Advocacy Agenda in Kenya, the NCD Alliance of Kenya has leveraged every opportunity to amplify the voices and recommendations of people living with NCDs. The national advocacy agenda has catalysed the formation of an active national network of people living with NCDs and shaped the alliance’s advocacy priorities, which include calling for an increase in health financing with a focus on NCDs, increasing access to quality, integrated and affordable healthcare and meaningful involvement of people living with NCDs and civil society in NCD related decision-making processes.
Apart from advocacy and community mobilisation, the alliance’s #TuongeeNCDs (Let’s Talk NCDs) social media campaign forms a critical component in the alliance’s efforts to promote the national advocacy agenda.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCD Alliance of Kenya has amplified the specific concerns and asks of people living with NCDs, including the alliance and its network of people living with NCDs issuing two public statements on their needs and recommendations during the pandemic.