Hon.  James Macharia Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Health, The PS Prof Sagor, the DMS Dr Francis Kimani all protocol observed……, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Morning.   Today marks a major milestone to the improvement of health care from the patient perspective. It is the culmination of over 4 years of shouting, pushing, talking and negotiating for the recognition of the health care consumer THE PATIENT as part and parcel of the health care system   We have heard of hundreds of cases on negligence, malpractice even death of patients, we don’t want to blame this on anyone but ignorance.   Morris Moses Foundation believes with the launch of the first patient rights charter and I dare say the first of its kind in Africa will go a long way to improve patient participation in the delivery health care, by demanding for quality compassionate health care from the government and other stakeholders, but also taking responsibility of healthcare delivery as a personal responsibility of each and every citizen of Kenya.   I believe the Patient Rights Charter is not just a document but also a tool to monitor, to direct and hold accountable the government to the patients and potential patients which we all are.   To the medical fraternity, this document is not meant to be a witch hunt tool, or to undermine your heavily invested skills and knowledge, but it is meant to empower both you and your client. Remember you bring 50% on to the table because of your knowledge and skills while the  patient brings the other 50% in terms of body, mind and trust to you which completes the process of healthcare service delivery. We would also like to recognize other organizations that have joined the pursuit of patients justice, the cancer organization which has been instrumental in the writing of the cancer bill and policies therein, the Africa Regional Blood transfusion society Kenya for the fight towards safety in blood transfusion, the center for patients rights for putting the medical fraternity on their toes using litigation measures and the  Kenya Consumer Association for ensuring affordable drugs and many other local NGO and International NGOs who have invested in patient safety by advocating and capacity building the health sector to improve service delivery .This document will go a long way in empowering the patient and improving our work with the different patient organization.   As human rights are part of our day to day decision making, let the patient rights charter also be the base for decision making daily in health care sector.We therefore request the regulatory bodies for a speedy dissemination of the charter to all the 47 counties from Lamu to Nyanza, from Turkana to Nairobi and from Bungoma to Nakuru.   Morris Moses Foundation is committed to disseminating the charter using through the various MMF mooted campaigns such as Silent no more,Boresha Afya and Patient Solidarity Day, which for your information  ladies and gentlemen will be commemorated on 30th of October  and we will be joined  for the first  time by 10 other African countries to make it regional,we hope you will join us too.   Chinua Achebe said, “When the center is weak things fall apart”, and I say because the center which is the patient has been strengthened the healthcare system will change as the demand for quality compassionate health care will translate to improved health care which will bring about a better and positive patient experience   Thank You and God Bless

These days, a pregnant woman in Kenya may feel a different kind of labor pains when watching the news. In the past two weeks, we have witnessed the Bungoma Hospital debacle and closing of Pumwani Maternity Hospital on national news. In households across the country, people are voicing their frustrations at both health care access and quality concerns particularly related to maternity care. So one question remains- is it time, Kenya?   I have had the pleasure of hearing the Director General Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat, Mugo Kibati, speak on several occasions. He acknowledges the challenge of getting people to envision that these changes—economic, social and political– are not only possible, but they are coming. I must admit, when my husband and I returned to Kenya in late 2011, our jaws dropped as we saw the underpasses and overpasses, tunnels and the new Nairobi-Thika Highway. If you had told us years ago that it was coming, we, like many Kenyans, would have said “we’ll believe it when we see it.”   But isn’t that the challenge for us today? When it comes to high quality, patient-centered care– let’s say for maternity services given this week’s news’ headlines— is not the greatest challenge to first envision what health care delivery and services could look like? What it should look like?   Imagine a hospital where all staff, from the security guard and housekeeping to nurses and physicians, smile and politely ask “How can I help you today?” When every patient’s and concerned family members’ questions are answered and concerns are addressed. When patients feel heard and understood, informed and engaged in decisions related to their care, and confident they couldn’t get better quality care anywhere else.   This is an exciting time for Kenya. With the devolution of health care delivery to the county level, upheld by the social pillar of Kenya’s Vision 2030 on a national level, the stage is set for comprehensive reform of health care services. Our job as ordinary citizens is to envision, embrace and advocate for patient-centered care in public and private hospitals across Kenya and to settle for nothing less. The time is now!   Dr. Stephanie Onguka is a Family Medicine consultant based in Nairobi, Kenya.