ENABLE - Enabling environments for non-communicable disease (NCD) risk reduction in Ethiopia

Ethiopia, the second most populous African nation, faces a rapidly increasing burden of NCDs, following the trend of many other African countries. By 2040, NCDs will account for 65% of disability, yet the country is among the least prepared for this transition. To meet Sustainable Development Goal 3.4 and reduce premature mortality from NCDs, Ethiopia must focus on prevention and treatment of major risk factors: malnutrition, physical inactivity, and air pollution exposure. Prevention policies should prioritize pregnancy, as NCD risk factors emerge at younger ages and have their origins in fetal life.

Using evidence-based interventions tailored to local communities, the project will co-create, implement, and evaluate the ENABLE intervention - a comprehensive NCD risk prevention program that empowers urban populations in Ethiopia to make healthier dietary choices, engage in physical activity and limit exposure to air pollution within an enabling environment. ENABLE will provide real-life evidence on how to strengthen the public health systems to respond to the increasing burden from environmental risks and rising NCD prevalence. Through this process, chronic disease reductions can take place while contributing to increased productivity and welfare for future generations. The program will be delivered by health care providers to individuals and community groups in four Ethiopian cities: Addis Ababa, Adama, Harar, and Jimma.

Over the next four years, ENABLE will work to provide real-word evidence for the impact of implementation for behavior change, NCD risk reduction and better maternal and child health. ENABLE will support care providers for continuity and quality of overall healthcare and of NCD care and surveillance, and ultimately strengthen the Ethiopian public health system towards better health for all.