Gilbert is a Public Health Physician and Consultant in Health Systems Strengthening & Healthcare Quality, with over 22 years of experience (in both the public and private sectors). He is an accomplished and resourceful executive, with experience in designing healthcare programs and leading healthcare systems and organisations to enhanced performance. He is adept at strengthening health systems and healthcare organisations, with a focus on improving the quality of health outcomes, in resource-limited environments. His additional competencies include critical thinking, analysis, & strategic planning; Health Systems Strengthening & Optimisation; Healthcare Quality Improvement Initiatives; Leadership Coaching & Capacity Development; and Organisational System Transformations. Gilbert is a certified executive coach with the International Coach Federation as well as an Organizational Development Certified Consultant. Gilbert is an inaugural/founding member of the ISQUA Academy of Quality and Safety in Healthcare (IAQS).

Prof. Dr. Michael Marx (MD, PhD) is professor for International Public Health at the Institute of Public Health of the University of Heidelberg. He is a medical doctor, specialised in internal medicine, tropical medicine and public health. He is director of Evaplan ltd. at the University of Heidelberg, an international consulting platform of the University. He has more than 30 years of working experience in health systems development and research, in management of health programs, carrying out evaluations, implementation research and training in more than 20 African countries and in various Asian countries such as China, Indonesia, India, and Vietnam. During the last 15 years he was involved in large health systems research projects - funded by EU, WHO, BMBF - in India, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and various African countries. Michael is co-editor of a special volume of GHA, has authored four book chapters, more than 100 scientific articles, consultation reports and reviews. His particular interest lies in health system research focusing on quality improvement, disease control and public health in unstable situations.

Dr. Mary Eyram Ashinyo is a Physician Specialist – Public Health with emphasis on Health Policy and Health Systems Management. She is a strong Patient Right advocate and works with the Ghana Health Service as a Deputy Director of the Institutional Care Division in charge of Quality Assurance. Dr. Ashinyo’s current work involves the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of patient safety and healthcare quality programs including Patients’ Experience of Care in all healthcare facilities of the Ghana Health Service. With many years of work experience in administrative and clinical governance in healthcare quality and systems strengthening at sub-district, district and regional levels of Ghana’s Health System, Dr. Ashinyo has received several awards in recognition of her grassroots work including the Mandela Washington Fellowship Award from the U.S Department of State in 2015. She also received the Young Physician Leaders’ Award from the Inter-Academy Partnership and the World Academy of Sciences in 2016 as well as the Women Leaders in Global Health award from the Stanford University Centre for Global Health in 2017. Dr. Ashinyo is a Member of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the School of Public Health- University of Ghana, a Diploma of advanced studies in Health Care and Management from the Swiss Tropical Institute of Public Health -Switzerland, a certificate in Public Management and leadership from Howard University in Washington D.C. and other certificates of management and leadership from the European School of Management and Technology – Berlin/Germany and GIMPA-Accra/Ghana.

Dr. Ernest Konadu Asiedu, Head, Quality Management Unit at the Ministry of Health is a Healthcare Quality Improvement Advisor, Occupational Safety, Health and Environmental Management expert, and a Medical Field Epidemiologist. He coordinates the implementation of the National Healthcare Quality Strategy across the Ministry of Health Headquarters and its agencies. He was the Coordinator, Community and Institutional Care at the National Catholic Health Service’s Directorate of Health from 2011 until he was appointed to head the Quality management Unit in September, 2017. He has enormous experience in both frontline clinical work, and leadership and management. He was a key player both as a frontline quality improvement team leader in St. Francis Xavier Hospital, Assin Foso and team lead at the national level in the IHI/NCHS/GHS flagship project- Project Fives Alive! (PFA!) that assisted Ghana in achieving 35% reduction in U5M using quality improvement methodology and concepts. He is a faculty of the IHI and Ubora Institute with multi-country experience in quality improvement providing technical support in improving maternal and child health indicators in Africa and India. He is also the co-chair for Ghana -WHO QoC QED network involving 10 countries. He is leading the Patient Safety agenda in Ghana and coordinates the Africa Hospital Patient Safety Initiative (AHPSI) involving three countries (Ethiopia, Ghana and South Africa). His interest is in Patient Safety, Engaging and Empowering Patient and Family for Quality, Safety, and Patient Centered Care

Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea is currently the Director of Institutional Care Division, Ghana Health Service. He is a Consultant Neurosurgeon. He graduated with Distinction as a Medical Doctor and Honors as a Specialist from the Higher Institute of Medical Science, Havana Cuba. Dr. Kaba also holds MPhil and PhD in Public Health with Honors of Summa Cum Laude (University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain); Executive Masters in Governance and Leadership, Best Graduate (GIMPA); Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy (University of Ghana); PGDip Corporate Governance (Ghana Institute of Directors, Ghana); and Advanced Certificate in Complex Health Systems & Health Systems and Policy Research (University of the Western Cape, South Africa). He is Fellow of the following professional bodies: Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons; World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies; Cuban Society of Neurosurgeons; Spanish Society of Neurosurgeons; Spanish Society of Public Health Physicians; and Dr. LEE Jong-Wook Program. Dr. Kaba has diverse knowledge and experience on various subjects which has informed his management, teaching and practice philosophies. He has authored and co-authored various books and publications, served on various boards, committees, and working groups as well as a teaching fellow of various prestigious institutions.

Dr. Emmanuel Srofenyoh, MBChB FWACS MPHIL HSM Emmanuel Srofenyoh is a Fellow of West African College of Surgeons, and a Foundation fellow of Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons. He is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist and holds an M-Phil Degree in Health Services Management. He had been head of department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (GARH) at Ridge in 2004- 2011 and Director of Clinical Services in 2011-2016. Under his leadership Obstetrics services experienced significant transformations and the hospital also engaged in various quality improvement studies with national and international partners, particularly in the field of Maternal Health. He is currently the Medical Director of GARH and also the Chair of the Faculty Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is a key Safe Motherhood trainer and co-coordinator and a National Trainer in Emergency Obstetric Care services. He has co-authored various scientific research articles on quality improvement strategies in facilities in low resource settings, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and maternal and perinatal health outcomes in Ghana. He attended several international conferences including CUGH and presented award winning papers.

Jacqui Stewart is the Chief Executive Officer of the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa (COHSASA). COHSASA is the only internationally accredited quality improvement and accreditation body for healthcare facilities in Africa accrediting more than 600 facilities throughout the continent over the past 22 years. Jacqui has worked in the public and private health care sectors in South Africa and England. Having qualified as a registered nurse in Cape Town she went on to specialise in Cardio-Thoracic nursing in England. She ran the Transplant Unit at Harefield Hospital for five years. From there she moved into a variety of managerial roles in the National Health Service at district and regional level, including quality improvement, planning and organisational development. She was the Director of Career Development and Succession Planning at the NHS Modernisation Agency, Leadership Centre. Jacqui returned to South Africa in 2005 to join COHSASA as Chief Operations Manager. She was appointed CEO in April 2016. She has just completed a Masters in Professional Studies (Health) with Middlesex University, London. Her passions are healthcare quality and leadership.

Panel Session 1: The National Quality Strategy-Progress, Challenges and the Way forward Three (3) global reports released by the WHO, in 2018, identified shortfalls and the sub-optimal nature of quality and patient safety across global health systems, particularly in LMICs. As part of recommendations to accelerate the provision of quality and safe care was for countries to develop and ensure the implementation of National Healthcare Quality Strategies. While many countries have responded to this call and are at various levels of implementation others are yet to begin the process. This session explores the global (including regional) quality frameworks and efforts made by countries so far in their Quality journeys. The session also identifies the practical implementation challenges and lessons learnt, by countries, in improving quality of care outcomes via the national healthcare quality strategy. The session draws on the wisdom and experiences of speakers from diverse backgrounds from the WHO, MOH Ghana, regulators and service delivery agencies. The session speakers/panel include: 1. Nana Mensah Abrampah (WHO-HQ) 2. Ernest Asiedu (MOH, Ghana) 3. Samuel Kaba (Institutional Care Division GHS, Ghana) 4. Mathew Kyeremeh (Health Facilities Regulatory Authority, Ghana)

Panel Session 3: Implementing Quality at the Secondary/Tertiary level: Experiences and Lessons Learnt from Public & Private Facilities Implementing Quality at the frontline, particularly at the Secondary/Tertiary levels, in both is attempted within the complexity and sophistication the health system, competing priorities and increased patients’ expectations. Most healthcare organizations at the secondary and tertiary levels are often under pressure to contain increases in costs while they strive to improve quality. All this plays out in the proverbial resource (funds) limited environment. It is however imperative to ensure improvement in the services and the quality of care outcomes at these service delivery points. This session explores the motivation, the practical challenges, initiatives, innovations and progress that institutional leaders (in both the public and private health sectors) have experienced as they have embarked upon and continue on their quality journey. The session speakers/panel include: 1. Dr. Emmanuel Srofenyoh (Medical Director, Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ghana 2. Dr. Joyce Dzabatey (CEO, CnJ Medicare Hospital, Ghana 3. Dr. Elikem Tamakloe (CEO, Nyaho Medical Centre, Ghana) 4. Dr Mary Eyram Ashinyo Dep. Director Responsible for Quality GHS

Panel Session 2: Implementing Quality at the Primary Healthcare level: Experiences and Lessons Learnt Primary health care (PHC) is often referred to as lower level care creating the impression that it is inferior care. Rather PHC is a fundamental and integral part of the healthcare delivery system in any country., the nucleus of care services is organized to be equitable, efficient and resilient to comprehensively meet the care needs of people wherever they live! The WHO recognizes PHC as the key driver to attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC). When quality of care is mentioned most people’s focus goes to large hospitals and specialist services, forgetting that the users of services at clinics and health centre equally deserve to have quality of services and care outcomes. PHC is a critical tool for advancing higher-quality care and better health outcomes, along the health care continuum. How come quality of care seem to have been lost in the primary healthcare debate? Why have countries become very fixated with increasing geographical access to the detriment of the kind of quality healthcare that is provided? What do the people in communities need and how are we positioning health service delivery to meet those needs? How have primary healthcare facilities and stakeholders been able to improve on the quality of care they provide? This session will demonstrate and present evidences of how quality has been inculcated into some primary healthcare facilities in Ghana and is being implemented. Speakers will also share how they have been able to implement quality to improve various health outcomes. The session speakers/panel include: 1. Dr. Priscilla Wobil (UNICEF Ghana) 2. Bantiu Kabral (District QI Focal Person, Bongo District) 3. Stephanie Kandasani (Global Fund)

Masterclass 1: Leadership Competencies for Achieving Quality Leadership for quality can manifest in various ways. For instance, in Ghana, the success of the National Healthcare Quality Strategy is attributable to the involvement of the Leadership of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and its broad group of stakeholders in the strategy’s development and subsequent implementation. This is so for many other African countries such as Ethiopia, Malawi, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone which are all at various stages of either development or implementation of their NQS. It is evident from the experiences of countries that structures at the national, regional, district and hospitals/health facility levels, and effective leadership is needed to coordinate and facilitate implementation of activities related to the national strategy. Effective leadership competencies at all levels of the healthcare delivery system is essential to improve and ensure sustainability of quality. A broader quality improvement strategy could be established once there is sufficient leadership buy-in, commitment, support and engagement at the highest level of a health facility or national government. Ensuring that quality healthcare services are available irrespective of the health infrastructure will require transparent stewardship and effective leadership especially when resources are very scarce. Strengthening and improving leadership of health systems is extremely important because it is also link with healthcare outcomes. Some of the questions to explore will include: 1. What are the characteristics and evidence of leadership and will to improve the quality of healthcare? 2. What are the requisite governance and organizational structures to provide quality healthcare and improve care outcomes in our various healthcare facilities? 3. How do you develop that kind of organizational culture that best supports quality? Facilitators: 1. Dr. Gilbert Buckle 2. Prof. Michael Marx

Masterclass 2: Accreditation: The Driver of Quality What is not measured is not done!! Accreditation involves the certification of a program, service, organization, institution or agency by an authorized external body to assess performance in relation to established standards in order to support continuous improvement. Without accreditation for quality will not be done. There has been widespread uptake of accreditation programs internationally but its impact on healthcare outcomes is yet to be very evident. There is the need to adequately understand and appreciate how accreditation programs could work towards the achievement of the desired health outcomes. It has been suggested elsewhere that accreditation programs need to be flexible in their application and responsiveness to increasing variation in service delivery while ensuring that core standards of healthcare are embedded throughout the framework. This session explores the accreditation process/journey (how does it work and why?). How can the accreditation process be optimized? What are the contextual conditions necessary for the success of any accreditation program and how does it enhance learning? How can the results of an accreditation process be used to inform institutional quality improvement initiatives? Facilitators: 1. Jacqui Stewart 2. Elom Otchi

Elom is a National and International Consultant in Organizational Development and Healthcare Quality & Patient Safety. He is a conference speaker and been on discussion panels of several quality & patient safety conferences. He has served as the National Consultant on Quality Improvement (QI) for UNICEF. A role in which he supported twenty-four (24) health facilities (including a regional hospital) in implementing the Mother-Baby Friendly Health Facility Initiative (MBFHI) in the Upper East Region of Ghana. He was also the International Consultant for the WHO Country office in Sierra Leone in supporting the Ministry of Health & Sanitation setup national quality of care structures, develop training manuals and quality of care policy and strategy. He also built the capacity of various cadres to lead the quality improvement program at various levels of the health system of the country. He is an Expert of the International Society of Quality Healthcare (ISQua). Elom is a Fellow of International Society of Quality in Healthcare (ISQua) and a Certified Hospital Surveyor (CHS). He is a member of the WHO Global Learning Laboratory on Quality of Care and Universal Health Coverage. Elom is in the final year of his PhD Program at the School of Public Health (SPH) of the University of Ghana.

Dr. Elikem Tamaklo is the Managing Director of Nyaho Medical Centre, a leading healthcare provider in Ghana and the first private Group Medical Practice in the country. He has held this position since 2015 and during this time, has led the digital transformation of the Hospital, integrating services, equipment and infrastructure through an integrated Hospital Information System centered around patients and their families. This has enabled the hospital to grow and expand from one central location to two sites, improving access to quality healthcare with a personalized approach. He also led the accreditation of the hospital by the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons to become the only private hospital in Ghana to train Family Physicians. He has championed Quality and Safety in healthcare through launching the Dr. K. N. Tamaklo Medical Symposium, an annual forum bringing together key decision makers from the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, Regulatory agencies, Private and Public Hospitals and wider stakeholders in raising awareness and coordinating efforts in improving Patient Safety and Quality in Healthcare settings. Dr. Tamaklo is a seasoned speaker and has spoken at multiple national and international forums. He was the President of the Ghana Chapter of the Stanford Seed Transformation Network from the year 2016 to 2018 and the Learning Officer for the Ghana Chapter of the Young President’s Organisation, YPO. He is an Advisory Board Member for Future of Africa, a charity dedicated to equipping children in street situations to become leaders. Dr. Elikem Tamaklo has won many awards including the Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2016 Ghana Entrepreneurs Awards and the All Africa Young Business Leader of the Year at the 8th edition of the All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) organized in partnership with CNBC Africa in Johannesburg, SA. Dr. Tamaklo holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from St. George’s Hospital Medical School in London, a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and executive certificates from Stanford Seed, Cornell University, Edge Hill University and London Business School.

Dr. Joyce Djabatey is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the C&J Medicare Hospital group and its affiliate Health Management Services Company; The Managed Healthcare Company Ltd. She has earned the reputation and recognition as an entrepreneurial and visionary leader with a highly successful track record. Under her leadership, C&J Medicare Hospital and Diagnostic Centre (a branch of the C&J Group) became the first hospital in Ghana to be accredited for quality of healthcare and patient safety by COHSASA (ISQua accreditation) in May 2018. Joyce has participated and presented papers at several seminars and workshops in healthcare both within and outside Ghana. Her knowledge and experience in company healthcare delivery comes as an added benefit for effective service provision. Dr. Djabatey’s previous positions include roles with Ministry of Health (1989 to 1999) in facilities such as Ridge Hospital-Accra, Aviation Clinic-Airport, Mamobi Polyclinic and Adabraka Polyclinic. Since moving into private healthcare, she serves as the appointed Doctor /Chief Medical Officer for several corporate organizations. Joyce holds a Doctor of Medicine (1988) from Kharkov State University, Ukraine. Among her professional and civic leadership roles, Joyce remains a member of the board of directors of all the companies.

Nana A. Mensah-Abrampah serves as a Technical Officer within the Service Delivery and Safety (SDS) Department at the World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva. She leads on the WHO global learning agenda on quality, co-leads the technical cross-cutting team on quality improvement, provides technical and strategic programmatic support on national quality policy and strategy, and supports work on quality improvement in public health emergency preparedness and response. She joined WHO in 2015, working as a Technical Officer for Health Systems Recovery for the 2014-2015 Ebola Outbreak in West Afirca. Previously, Ms Mensah-Abrampah worked at a tertiary referral hospital in Malawi and as a consultant in Tanzania on quality improvement. For several years, she worked as a QI fellow for a global project aimed at applying improvement approaches to enhance health care quality in more than 30 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Ms Mensah-Abrampah holds a BSc Economics, MSc International Health and is undertaking doctorate (PhD) studies at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Bonifacia Agyei has served in various clinical roles and responsibilities, including ward manager, operating theatre manager and nurse manager in Ghana Health Services and some private health facilities in Ghana. Bonifacia served as a nurse educator and acting vice principal in Nurses Training College (Dunkwa- on- Offin). She joined the National Health Insurance Authority in various capacities including Accreditation and Quality Officer, Clinical Auditor, Clinician/ Claims Manager and Provider Trainer. Bonifacia joined PharmAccess as a Quality Advisor and quickly took up the position of Lead Quality Advisor coordinating SafeCare program in Ghana. She is currently the Country Manager for SafeCare, leading and coordinating all quality and technical services activities in PharmAccess Ghana, while collaborating with various Partners to support institutionalization of quality improvement in Ghana. Bonifacia was key in developing the maiden maternal care franchise network, Woman360 in Ghana. She led the development of all standards, operational manuals, curriculum and training of midwives and support staff of the innovative network. She is responsible for maintaining quality and brand standards in the network. Bonifacia is a highly skilled quality assessor and quality improvement facilitator with vast experience in healthcare business development and management. She is a graduate nurse with perioperative specialization and Commonwealth Executive Masters in Public Administration

Kwaku Sapon Darkwa is the Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Sanford World Clinics –Ghana, an affiliate of Sanford health, Sioux Falls South Dakota. He oversees clinical medical care and manages five medium clinics within the Sanford Network in Ghana, a leading provider of quality, affordable primary healthcare in the peri-urban and rural areas of Ghana. Before this, he was a deputy medical director at C&J Medicare and Diagnostic center Group, where he played a key role as the principal medical officer to establish C& J as a preferred provider in central Accra. Dr. Darkwa also has over a decade experience in occupational health, serving many multinational food/beverage companies in Ghana, including Coca Cola bottling Company Ghana Ltd, Cargill Cocoa Ghana, Pioneer Food Cannery, L'Oreal hair products etc. Dr. Darkwa is a certified SafeCare Assessor. He earned his BSc. in Medical Sciences and an MB Ch B from the University of Ghana Medical School. He also holds a Master’s degree in Divinity from the renowned Trinity Theological Seminary in Legon and an MPH from University of Liverpool. He is currently head Pastor of Delightful Springs Ministry Int., a young faith-based organization giving hope, encouragement and direction to many underprivileged street youths within the Adabraka Community, Accra.