Expert Patient spotlight - Ms. Flavia Kyomukama, Executive Director of the Action Group for Health, Human Rights and HIV/AIDS (AGHA) Uganda

As the world gears up to observe Patient Solidarity Day on December 8th, IAPO is proud to highlight the invaluable contributions of Ms. Flavia Kyomukama, a distinguished patient advocate, and Executive Director of the Action Group for Health, Human Rights and HIV/AIDS (AGHA) Uganda.

Ms Kyomukama, a resilient woman, has been living with HIV since 1994 and is a survivor of cervical cancer in 2021. Despite facing personal health challenges, she has emerged as a seasoned advocate in the fields of HIV, Gender, Human Rights, Women and girls, Key Populations (KP), Persons with Disabilities (PWD), Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD), youth, and older persons rights. Her expertise extends to health policy and health financing advocacy at the national, regional, and global levels.

Ms Kyomukama is the Coordinator of the Women@40 campaign, a commendable initiative that reflects on the roles of women living with HIV over the last 40 years of the epidemic. The campaign explores how these women can contribute further to ending AIDS by 2030.

According to Ms Kyomukama, an expert patient is not only someone aware of their disease condition and management options but also an individual capable of supporting, referring, and linking other patients to available services. She emphasises the importance of possessing basic information on the disease, social support and counselling skills, and effective communication and interpersonal rapport.

Furthermore, she underscores the significance of being respected and honest, establishing trust among other patients and individuals with special healing conditions.

Ms Kyomukama's extensive experience in strategic positioning and partnerships has enhanced organizational visibility, mobilized resources, and ensured transparency and accountability. Her advocacy aligns with this year's Patient Solidarity Day theme – 'Expert Patients - The Indispensable Voice.'

In defining an expert patient, Ms Kyomukama states: “Any patient who is aware of their disease condition and aware of options to manage the condition. any patient who can support, refer and link other patients to access the available services.”

On Patient Solidarity Day, let us join hands to celebrate the resilience and expertise of patients like Ms. Flavia Kyomukama, whose voices contribute significantly to building healthier communities worldwide.