PATIENT GROUPS IN AFRICA MOBILIZE TO TRANSFORM THE HEALTH CARE SPACE.

I recently facilitated a capacity training session at the African Regional Meeting of the International Patient Alliance Organization. The meeting took place in Entebbe, Uganda and different Patient Groups across Africa with focus of various disease areas attended. The theme of the Meeting was "Harmonization for Patient-centered Universal Health Coverage in Africa".

My session focused on "Stakeholder Mapping for Patient Advocacy" and we went through the gamut of who a stakeholder is, to understanding that stakeholder mapping involves identifying, and assessing the impact of various persons or group of stakeholders on an organization/entity and eventually working out a planned and strategic way to engage these persons or groups in order to achieve the set goal. We shared thoughts on why this is important, what major steps are involved in stakeholder mapping, questions we need to ask while carrying this task and the practical steps in building a stakeholder Power and Interest grid.

What I enjoyed most was the extremely interactive nature and level of engagement of the group especially the way they applied the learnings to the advocacy plans to ensure a patient -centric African Medicines Agency. The Africa Medicines Agency (AMA) will commence in 2018 - at least this is what AU and other stakeholders are saying. The PAGs in Africa don't want a slice of the action. They want to be on top of what is going before during and after the commencement of the Agency. And they are right - after all, it is all for the patients!!

At the end of the meeting, the Patient Groups committed to “The Entebbe Statement which will be the means by which patients will vocalize their support for AMA, explore constructive ways to drive partnerships with regional regulatory harmonization stakeholders and play a critical role in the novel and unfolding dynamics of the African Health Care eco system.

IAPO will engage and raise awareness in the coming weeks and in different countries underscore the need to be at the center stage in the harmonization process. They understand that they have to play a critical role and to be one of the driving forces behind the establishment of an inclusive transparent and patient – centred AMA.

Our Patient Groups in Africa are getting more empowered and are mobilizing. It is good for the Continent.