This workshop was an important milestone in African Partnerships for Patient Safety (APPS). Representatives from the African, European and NHS (England) arms of the programme attended and were introduced both to each other and key internal WHO staff and partners from the National Patient Safety Agency and Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET).
Participants gained a shared understanding of the local context of partnership working, the vision and scope of the programme and the principles of partnership development which will be utilized. Several key draft documents were shared and there was an opportunity for review, scrutiny and feedback from participants to assist in shaping the final version of tools and products.
In addition to the broad objectives of the workshop, participants heard details of recent global activities on health care-associated infections led by the WHO First Challenge: Clean Care is Safer Care. APPS will utilise infection control and the implementation of hand hygiene improvement methodology as an entry point into patient safety system strengthening.
With the assistance of partners from THET the workshop concluded by defining clear next steps for programme development and a schedule of activities which will move each partnership closer to a state of readiness for implementation of patient safety improvements.
Throughout the workshop patient safety in Africa was the key focus for everyone. Partners from hospitals in Europe described how they could both benefit from and work together with partners in African hospitals to strengthen the systems required to assure safety of patients receiving health care. While it was stated by African partners that “patient safety is not in good shape in our hospitals”, and that “the idea of patient safety is not widely understood and much sensitization is required”, the resounding message from the workshop was that "APPS presents both a challenge and an opportunity". The spirit and outcomes of the meeting have been built on by APPS during subsequent phases of programme development, including joint working in partner hospitals and preparation for the Kampala Workshop (October 2009).