More Than 100 Patient Groups Form New International Coalition

BALA CYNWYD, Pa., Sept. 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, more than 100 patient groups across 38 countries launched the World Patients Alliance, an international advocacy coalition. The group seeks to give patients a seat at the healthcare policymaking table.

"Too often, healthcare policy fails to consider patients' actual needs," said Hussain Jafri, founding director of the World Patients Alliance and secretary general of Alzheimer's Pakistan. "The World Patients Alliance will work to make health care universally accessible and affordable."

The World Patients Alliance will advocate for policies that ensure equal and affordable access to optimal healthcare, empower patients to express their needs and play a larger role in deciding their treatments, and improve patient education and healthcare literacy.

"The World Patients Alliance unites thousands of advocates across various countries and disease areas," said Andrew Spiegel, chair of the World Patients Alliance and executive director of the Global Colon Cancer Association. "We're eager to help patients make their voices heard and promote policies that will improve their quality of life."

In addition to Jafri and Spiegel, co-founders of the World Patients Alliance include:

• Jolanta Bili?ska, director of development and social communication at City Medical Centre Dr. K. Jonscher in Lodz, Poland;
• Penney Cowan, founder and CEO of the American Chronic Pain Association;
• Karla Ruiz de Castilla, CEO of Esperanta in Peru, an advocacy organization for patients with cancer and other chronic conditions;
• Regina Mariam Namata Kamoga, executive director of Community Health and Information Network in Uganda, an advocacy organization for people living with or affected by HIV and AIDS.

About the World Patients Alliance
The World Patients Alliance is the umbrella organization of patients and patients' organizations around the globe. The World Patients Alliance provides the platform to empower and raise the patients' voice for the provision and access to safe, quality and affordable healthcare. We work toward ensuring patients have an active role to play in all the stages of health care that include planning, provision, monitoring, research and evaluation of health services. We represent patients from all world regions and across all disease areas.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Brigit Wolf
(202) 471-4228 ext. 104
[email protected] 

SOURCE World Patients Alliance