The Financing Accelerator Network for NCDs (FAN) has awarded its first seed funding grant, supporting new efforts in Kenya to address urgent health financing gaps for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health disorders.
FAN—established through a technical partnership between Access Accelerated and the World Bank, in collaboration with Results for Development (R4D)—works with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in strengthening health financing systems that can more effectively respond to the growing burden of NCDs. The network currently supports seven countries across Sub-Saharan Africa through its regional NCD Financing Accelerator, hosted by the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), providing technical assistance (FAN Foresight), opportunities for cross-country learning (FAN Forum), and catalytic seed funding (FAN Fund).
The FAN Fund provides catalytic seed funding for country-led initiatives aimed at strengthening policymaking, fostering innovative financing solutions, expanding existing programs, and paving the way for broader scale-up.
Kenya: Economic Modelling to Guide Strategic Investment
In Kenya, FAN funding will support the development of an economic modelling framework to quantify both the health and economic burden of major NCDs, assess current spending and financing gaps, and estimate the return on investment of priority interventions.
While NCDs account for a growing share of disease burden, policymakers in Kenya—like in many countries—often lack local health and economic evidence needed to understand the health, financial, and equity impacts of investing in NCDs. This modelling will identify funding gaps, potential efficiency gains, and opportunities to expand the fiscal space for NCDs. It will provide national and county decision-makers with clear guidance on where investments can have the greatest impact in resource allocation, procurement, program design, and long-term financing strategies, translating commitments on Primary Health Care and Universal Health Coverage into actionable plans.
“We need evidence that speaks to both health outcomes and economic realities,” said Dr Gladwell Gathecha, Acting Head of the Division of Non-Communicable Diseases, Ministry of Health, Kenya. “This modelling will provide policymakers with locally generated evidence on the costs of inaction and the returns from targeted interventions, helping guide decisions that improve health outcomes, advance equity, and optimize available resources."
FAN Fund Impact
“Kenya's project addresses critical gaps that have long limited strategic investment in NCDs,” said Tim Verfaillie, Director of Health Equity at UCB and a member of the FAN Fund selection committee. “Improved data and stronger economic evidence are essential to strengthening health financing systems for NCDs and, importantly, help ensure these systems are more equitable and responsive to the needs of individuals, families, and communities living with NCDs.”
This first FAN Fund project reflects FAN’s approach: supporting locally led initiatives that respond to country priorities, encourage innovative solutions, and help accelerate progress toward sustainable financing for NCDs. Additional projects are expected as FAN deepens its support across Sub-Saharan Africa and prepares to expand the network to Latin America and the Caribbean.