AFRIQHER

African Forum for Quality Improvement in Healthcare

ISQua's CEO, Peter Lachman, was the keynote speaker at the first AFRIQHER conference in Accra, Ghana, earlier this month.

The below is his report, originally published in Pulse (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/start-movement-peter-lachman/?trackingId=DJ4PaA6aBS1onNlPBSQkmg%3D%3D)

Last week I made my first visit to Ghana for a new venture - the first AFRIQHER conference in Accra.

This concept of setting up a pan African movement for quality and patient safety comes from Leroy Edozien, who is an obstetrician in Manchester with a yearning to improve healthcare in Africa. Out of his enthusiasm for making something happen he set up the organisation and the website and then arranged the first conference with able local help of Noble Nazza. He states on the website that...

"Healthcare providers and consumers would like to see continual improvement in the quality of care that is delivered, but sustainable quality improvement does not happen by chance: the process has to be actively managed. In some parts of the world, various quality improvement theories and methods adapted from industry have been applied in the health sector, with varying degrees of success. In Africa, healthcare Quality Improvement is in its early days and there is a longer road to travel."

When asked why in Ghana, Leroy simply states that this is where the Pan African vision started so it is fitting to commence the movement there. Quality improvement and patient safety are emerging in Africa and there are numerous interventions from aid agencies, think tanks and consultancies. A number of very successful programmes have been held e.g. in Ghana, South Africa, Ethiopia as well as specific programmes across the continent aimed at improving HIV care, Maternal and Child Health etc. ISQua has been assisting in Mozambique and will be holding our 2019 conference in Cape Town. However, the concept of a pan African movement is one that has traction. 

The programme was well crafted with a lot of expertise and much to discuss. The meeting was small, 20- 30 people attended from a number of countries and this allowed for in-depth discussion of the problems and challenges faced in Africa as well as the potential for change with African solutions developed locally and spread from country to country. The programme was full and demonstrated the need for solutions for Africa to be developed by people who have to manage healthcare locally in resource poor conditions where them main resource are the people. The opening was by Hon. Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu, Deputy Minister of Health, Ghana who set the scene for the next two days. We heard of the great work from Nigeria from Dr Olawumi Oluborode, Executive Manager, Society for Quality in Healthcare and then the work in Ghana both from the ministry by Dr Ernest Konadu Asiedu, Head, Quality Management Unit, PPMED, Ministry of Health, Ghana and Ernest Kanyoke, Executive Director, Ubora Institute, who gave an overview of their work in Ghana and beyond. 

And in the afternoons there were 3 small interactive workshops on patient safety and quality improvement methodology.

I was privileged to be part of the founding group and hope that this movement will grow. We at ISQua will continue to support the growth of the social movement for safety and quality in Africa and the growth of AFRIQHER.