Africa: New Multisectoral Framework to Cocreate National Multisectoral Action Plan to Improve NCDs, Injuries and Mental Health

What the report says

African Union member states are moving toward a coordinated continental response to non-communicable diseases, injuries and mental health conditions after Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention officials finalized a multisectoral action plan during a five-day technical meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, according to Africa CDC via AllAfrica. The meeting brought together representatives from AU member states, AU bodies, academic institutions, civil society groups and patient advocates.

The framework is designed to support national policies and programmes by helping governments coordinate action across sectors, secure sustainable financing, create accountability systems and track implementation. It is linked to the Multisectoral Engagement, Coordination and Action (MECA) framework, which aims to translate the AU Common Position on these health issues into country-level plans.

The article says the initiative comes amid rising NCD-related deaths across Africa, with Africa CDC citing an estimated 4.7 million deaths in 2023. It also notes that prevention and treatment remain difficult because of limited funding, uneven access to care and fragmented responses that go beyond the health ministry. Africa CDC and participants emphasized the role of domestic resource mobilization and broader government investment, including reference to the Abuja Declaration target on health spending.

The technical recommendations from Kigali will now help shape the final MECA framework and accompanying action plan. If implemented, the effort could give member states a common structure for reducing preventable illness, disability and premature death while improving coordination across government.