Non-Communicable Disease Screening and Treatment Integration

It is estimated that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for 31% of total deaths in Zimbabwe.

With support from Sanofi, OPHID is implementing the HIV/NCDs Integration project.

This exciting project is strengthening the health system to provide whole-person care and has reached over one hundred thousand individuals in three provinces of Zimbabwe (Bulawayo, Chitungwiza, and Matabeleland South) with life-saving screening and preventive health education through novel outreaches in workplaces, communities, and households.

Specific objectives of the NCD project include:

  1. Capacity building of Expert Clients to conduct screening for NCDs including Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus for high-risk adults and PLHIV aged 40 years and above  
  2. Capacity building for nurses to screen and manage hypertension and diabetes mellitus including integration with HIV care and treatment services 
  3. Scale up screening of NCDs among at-risk adults and PLHIV aged 40 years and above 
  4. Link all people diagnosed with Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus to health education, treatment, and adherence services 
  5. Strengthen the supply chain of medicines for management and treatment of NCDs in Zimbabwe.
Employing innovative strategies saw the coverage and reach of the NCD Integration project exceed expected performance in 2023.  These included Family Health community outreaches and partnership with the private sector, schools and churches to provide workplace NCD screening and health information awareness campaigns.
December 2023 – March 2024

Our Impact

  • Provided on-site mentorship to over 200 nurses in routine NCD screening and management and provision of patient education materials.
  • Trained over 150 community health workers in NCD screening and referrals.
  • Procured and distributed over 120 Blood Pressure Machines and 75 Glucometers to strengthen health system capacity to provide NCD screening.
  • Conducted over 40 outreaches in workplaces, schools, churches and community events to reach individuals who may otherwise not access routine health screening
  • 117 165 people screened for diabetes and hypertension -  40% (46,872) were PLHIV (December 2022 – December 2023) – over 300% of the projected target!
  • Screening has demonstrated a high prevalence of high blood pressure in the general population (41.8%) 
  • Trend was similar for high blood sugar with a prevalence of 1.1% in general population.