Health service support centres to give patients in 3 West African countries a stronger voice in healthcare

Patients in Benin, The Gambia, and Togo are set to receive new health service user support centres, aimed at granting them a more prominent role in the healthcare they receive. The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has initiated projects to establish these centres in the three West African nations as part of their broader efforts to enhance the quality and safety of healthcare across the region.

The primary purpose of these centres is to provide patients with a structured space to report problems, seek guidance, and obtain support when they face difficulties during their healthcare journey. However, WAHO clarifies that the centres are not merely complaint desks; they also aim to facilitate dialogue and mediation. Information gathered from patients will be utilized to identify recurring issues and aid in improving healthcare services.

The official launch of the project took place in Lomé, Togo, on August 21, 2026. The ceremony was attended by representatives from the ECOWAS Commission, WAHO, the Togolese government, and the Medical Councils of Benin, The Gambia, and Togo. WAHO Director General Dr. Melchior Athanase J. C. Aïssi emphasized that these centres should be seen as "a space of dignity" where patients' voices are heard, documented, and transformed into actions aimed at improving health systems.

He stressed that the centres should go beyond merely recording complaints; instead, they should serve as platforms for patients to express their concerns and contribute to meaningful change.

The initiative is presented as a means of strengthening trust between patients and healthcare providers, thereby fostering better relationships within the healthcare ecosystem. ECOWAS Resident Representative in Togo, H.E. Deweh Emily Gray, commended WAHO and the Medical Councils for their dedication to the project, noting that it could help bridge the gap between communities and healthcare facilities.

She also called for enhanced coordination and knowledge-sharing among the three countries to ensure that experiences and best practices from one nation can be beneficial to the others.

Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Damtien Tchintchibidja, highlighted the initiative as part of a broader vision for ECOWAS to prioritize its people. She stressed that regional integration should lead to tangible improvements in services, particularly healthcare, and urged the Medical Councils to ensure that the centres are accessible and trusted spaces for patients to voice their concerns without delay or disrespect.

The Togolese Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, Universal Health Coverage, and Insurance, Jean-Marie Koffi Tessi, was represented by Dr. Yawa Djatougbe Apetsianyi, Director General of Studies, Planning, and Health Information. The minister emphasized that a robust health system should not only prevent diseases and provide treatments but also actively listen to patients, respect their dignity, and incorporate their feedback into healthcare decisions.

The support centres are thus poised to play a crucial role in addressing both individual complaints and broader systemic issues affecting health-service users.

By commencing with Benin, The Gambia, and Togo, the project sets the stage for a regional effort led by ECOWAS, with technical support from WAHO. The simultaneous rollout across these three countries allows for the exchange of lessons and insights, enabling each country to adapt the approach to its unique context while contributing to a unified regional strategy for patient support, mediation, and protection.

For WAHO, the ultimate objective is to integrate patients' experiences and concerns into the broader effort to enhance healthcare, aiming to create safer, more accountable, and more responsive health systems that strengthen the trust between communities, health professionals, and health institutions.