IAPO members take part in Uganda’s first patient safety workshop

IAPO members CHAIN (the Community Health and Information Network) and UAPO (the Uganda Alliance of Patient Organizations) worked with the WHO (World Health Organization) to hold Uganda’s first Patients for Patient Safety workshop in November 2015.  

The meeting, which marked important progress in strengthening the patient voice in this area, brought together patients, health workers, representatives from the Ugandan Ministry of Health and advocates from WHO’s Patients for Patient Safety programme.

The delegates discussed patient safety and healthcare quality issues, brainstorming ideas for new ways of incorporating the patient perspective into future patient safety initiatives.

Significantly, Dr. Henry Mwebesa, the Director of Health Services in charge of Planning and Development at the Ministry of Health, declared Uganda’s commitment to ensuring that patient safety will be upheld within the country’s health service delivery system.

Patients for Patient Safety champion and IAPO representative for CHAIN, Maria Regina Kamoga, said:

“We cannot continue to do business as usual, the need for prioritising healthcare resources means we need to be innovative in our efforts.

“Engaging patients and the community in healthcare is a cost-effective way to improve quality and safety of health care. The creation of a Ugandan Patients for Patient Safety network marks the beginning of sustainable patient and family engagement and empowerment efforts in our country”.

WHO’s Patients for Patient Safety is a global network of over 400 patient advocates in 54 countries. The programme is a core WHO initiative that aims to incorporate the patient, family and community voice into all levels of health care through engagement and empowerment.

Uganda’s first Patients for Patient Safety workshop marks a crucial milestone in the country’s contribution to the patient safety effort.