Submission ID 118527
| Issue/Objective | Background: As the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) continues to rise in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), health systems face challenges not only in service delivery but also in fostering governance models that are inclusive, trusted, and collaborative. Traditional top-down interventions result in fragmented care, weak accountability and mistrust. Communities of Practice (CoPs)-groups that share knowledge and solve problems collaboratively-offer a promising, underexplored approach to community engagement in NCD care. Objectives: This scoping review explores how Communities of Practice (CoPs) have been used in SSA to engage communities in NCD control and advocacy, including their structures, roles, and contributions to community empowerment and policy influence. The study seeks to identify the role of CoPs in shared learning and problem-solving to engage communities as active partners in governance and implementation in SSA. |
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| Methodology/Approach | Methodology: This study is guided by Arksey and O'Malley's framework and Wenger's model of CoPs. The review includes English and French peer-reviewed and grey literature from 1991 to 2025, sourced from databases such as PubMed, APA PsycInfo, CAIRN, and Google Scholar. Studies involving CoPs in NCD-related initiatives across SSA are in the process of being screened, and extracted. Thematic analysis will explore enablers and barriers to implementation, including factors related to resource mobilization, trust-building, and multilevel collaboration. |
| Results | Results (Expected): The review will highlight how CoPs promote inclusive governance by facilitating co-creation of knowledge, bridging gaps between communities and health authorities, and fostering shared responsibility. Evidence will also identify themes around co-learning, community empowerment, and knowledge translation, as well as gaps in practice and research. Findings will inform how CoPs can be leveraged to support community-driven, sustainable NCD strategies, streamline resource use, enhance policy relevance, and build trust in health systems. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | Discussion/ Conclusion Positioning CoPs as part of the governance architecture in NCD control could shift the role of communities from passive recipients to co-leaders in health policy and practice. This approach aligns with the broader goals of global health governance by advancing collaborative leadership, promoting accountability, and restoring public trust-especially critical in contexts of constrained financing and complex health challenges. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Nana Efua Enyimayew Afun Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Kezia Naa Amerley Akosua Amarteyfio Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Eugene Paa Kofi Bondzie Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Nhyira Yaw Adjei-Banuah Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Grace Aye Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Lauren Wallace Global Strategy Lab Linda Lucy Yevoo Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Eleanor Hutchinson London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Irene Akua Agyepong Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons Tolib Mirzoev London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine |
