By Lorraine Anyango.
Kisumu County burst into a vibrant display of commitment today as it launched its Quality Improvement Team (QIT) Charter. The ceremony, painted with confetti and cake-cutting symbolism, marked a renewed focus on ensuring quality healthcare across the county, with Nyando sub-county serving as the pilot and a roadmap for expansion.
The event, led by prominent figures like Director of Medical Services Dr. Don Sunday Ogolla, KIMET’s CEO Monica Oguttu, and Safe Care Director Kenya Ms. Millicent Olulo, resonated with the collective energy of stakeholders like PharmAcess, Kmet, and CIHEB.
Woven into the ceremony’s fabric were the QIT’s values, creatively presented as an acronym: RIPPIT, standing for Result-Oriented, Integrity, Person-Centered, Professionalism, Innovation, Trust, and Teamwork. These values serve as the guiding principles for the team’s mission of propelling Kisumu County towards excellence in quality healthcare.
The charter serves a multitude of purposes:
- Alignment: Ensuring everyone moves in the same direction, with clarity of purpose, priorities, and roles.
- Ownership: Fostering a sense of ownership and commitment among team members.
- Communication: Enhancing communication, trust, and collaboration.
- Focus: Keeping team members focused and educating others about the team’s mission.
The launch had three key objectives:
- Communication: Sharing the QIT’s mission, vision, values, and objectives, along with its collaboration strategy for improving Kisumu County’s healthcare services.
- Alignment: Aligning all stakeholders and partners working in the quality improvement space.
- Cascading: Introducing the QIT to sub-counties.
KMETS CEO Mrs. Ogutu lauded the focus on lower-level health facilities, acknowledging that quality improvement efforts often neglect these crucial centers. Ms. Olulo echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that quality healthcare should be accessible regardless of facility level, aligning with national primary healthcare policies.
The QIT, championed by Chief Officer of Medical Services Dr. Ojwang Lusi and led by County Quality Coordinator Mrs. Beatrice Ontita, stands as a beacon of hope for enhanced healthcare in Kisumu County. With unwavering commitment and a collaborative spirit, the team aspires to paint a future where quality healthcare is the norm, not the exception.
