World Patients Alliance

Growth: the wpa, established in september 2020, is composed of 467 non- profit organizations from 124 countries and has experienced rapid global growth. In 2023, 73 organizations joined as new members, further expanding its reach. By engaging patient groups across various regions, wpa has strengthened its presence in the international patient advocacy arena and enhanced its advocacy efforts. Communication with both the broader patient community and member groups is carried out through social media and email. This increased membership has boosted wpa's credibility with potential funders and policymakers worldwide, leading to greater funding and advocacy opportunities. In 2023, wpa successfully organized a large-scale campaign for World patient safety day, involving approximately 400 events globally. Bursaries and grants were provided to member organizations in different countries to support local awareness initiatives. Additionally, wpa hosted its 1st asia pacific regional meeting, focusing on the unique challenges faced by the region.

Education: effectively addressing patient-related issues requires meeting the needs of both the patient community and the general public. To this end, a membership survey was conducted in 2023 to assess the needs of patient organizations, allowing wpa to better align its work with the objectives of the global patient community. Based on the survey's findings, wpa actively engaged in educational and capacity-building initiatives in collaboration with its members and partner organizations. Notably, wpa worked with leading international patient organizations like the ihf and isqua, to organize events aimed at educating Patients. In 2023, wpa also hosted the asia pacific regional meeting in dubai, providing a platform for Patients to exchange information, share experiences, learn from each other, and gain insights into current healthcare challenges and their solutions. Additionally, jolanta bilinska, one of wpa's founding board members, organized a conference in lodz, poland, to commemorate World patient safety day. In collaboration with alzheimer's pakistan, wpa also hosted a seminar on patient safety at fatima jinnah medical university in lahore, pakistan. More detailed information about wpa's programs can be found at www.worldpatientsalliance.org. Wpa's active participation in global conferences often includes invitations to speak, present, and educate the patient advocacy community. The organization also conducted a robust social media campaign to raise awareness and educate the global community about patient-related challenges and diseases.

Advocacy: the wpa plays a pivotal role in the global policy arena, representing Patients worldwide. It dedicates substantial effort to conveying the patient perspective to regulators, policymakers, and key stakeholders, including the who, eu, and other governing bodies. To ensure the patient voice is effectively heard, wpa actively participates and presents at numerous international meetings. Below is a selection of events where wpa board directors were present, either virtually or in person: a. World health day conference b. Coalition of ngos for equity meeting c. person and family-centered advisory council (pfcac) by isqua d. conference on empowering patient autonomy at duphat_uae e. conference on patient safety for World patient safety day f. 46th World hospital congress g. World medical association meeting h. seminar on World patient safety day at fatimah jinnah medical university i. Membership surveys j. Statement of Patients' rights whenever possible, the wpa's travel expenses are covered by partner coalitions, reducing the organization's financial burden. In 2023, the wpa concentrated on advocacy, highlighted by the success of the World patient safety day 2023 campaign. It collaborated with its members to organize awareness events, addressing critical patient issues through social media, print, and electronic media, reaching out to wpa members and the global patient community. The wpa also hosted its 1st asia pacific regional meeting in dubai in 2023, which attracted leading global healthcare stakeholders, including the who, prominent patient organizations, and patient advocates. This regional meeting provided Patients with a platform to network and advocate for Patients' rights across the asia pacific region. To further raise awareness within the patient community, wpa released a video on polypharmacy and patient engagement with healthcare providers. Additionally, webinars and workshops on key topics identified in the 2022 membership survey were held. Below is a list of the global webinars and workshops organized by wpa in 2023: 1. World day of the sick 2. Workshop on person-centered care systems: from theory to practice 3. Today young, tomorrow elder - a workshop for health 4. Workshop on patient safety: diagnostic errors 5. Webinar: what is a clinical trial and why should i be involved? 6. Workshop on sustainability 7. Webinar: patient-centered care and patient engagement