SUNI-SEA

The SUNI-SEA project aims to validate effective scaling-up strategies of evidence-based diabetes and hypertension prevention and management programmes, and to enhance sustainable action for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, based on experiences in South-East Asia. The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as hypertension and diabetes, is increasing in low- and middle-income countries. Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam have national or large-scale evidence-based programmes to prevent diabetes and hypertension, detect people at risk and treat patients. By creating synergies in financing (health insurance and public funding), use of international standards (WHO-PEN protocols and local guidelines), community involvement (individuals and groups) and use of ICT (different apps), the three countries link NCD prevention and control to poverty alleviation and social security. Within these excellent living labs, the consortium will apply a comparative effectiveness research with a participatory approach – research with people, not on people. The project will define the critical success factors for scaling-up hypertension and diabetes prevention and management measures by validating a) the contextual factors for effective and efficient implementation; b) the core components of community-based and health facility-based interventions; c) the most cost-effective and sustainable scaling-up strategies. The project will create training and learning materials, draw lessons learned from these three countries and provide a cost-effective implementation and scaling-up model for worldwide implementation of NCD interventions. Through engaging all stakeholders, SUNI-SEA will contribute to the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases evidence base that can be used to implement strategies for improving global health.