Patient and Community Welfare Foundation of Malawi

INTRODUCTION

Patient and Community Welfare Foundation of Malawi [PAWEM] is Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Registered under Limited by Guarantee by the Malawi Government Reg No 9505 dated 3rd December 2008 and later as a Trust under the Trustees Incorporation Act: (CAP.5:03) No: TR/ INC 5428 on 23rd February, 2012 with a mission: "To be the leading welfare foundation in advocating for the provision of effective and efficient facilities , structures and opportunities that enables meaningful participation of patients, vulnerable communities and groups in the delivery of better equitable people and patient centered health and social care services in Malawi"

PAWEM is a voluntary organization which works in close collaboration with existing community structures The mission is derived from the understanding that patients and vulnerable communities have rights and responsibilities who are not passive recipients of health and social development services and that disadvantaged groups become vulnerable to illness and other challenges because they may not have continuous and sustainable sources of livelihoods. PAWEM defines patient welfare as an outcome of a mutual collaborative care provision by guardians, community and health delivery institutions resulting in regaining personal respect and dignity.

2. VISION

An empowering humane, quality and equitable people-patient centered Public health service in Malawi.

3. OUR CORE VALUES

The following are the four (4) core values that we cherish in our operations:

  1. We are passionate, open and honest
  2. We inspire people
  3. We work on the basis of equality
  4. We focus on achieving sustainable results

4. PAWEM OBJECTIVE

Goal: The goal of PAWEM is to advocate for the rights of patients and vulnerable community groups in order for them to access high quality, equitable and humane health, social and community services including environmental services for the attainment of their sustainable welfare. Specific Objectives:

PAWEM specific objectives are to:

  1. Mobilize and empower patients and communities in order to effectively participate and amplify their harmonized voice in ensuring accountable ,effective, effcient and transparent provision of services that guarantees patients' and community welfare
  2. Build the capacity of duty bearers and the understanding ofpatients' rights and community obligation for the attainment of patients' and community vulnerable groups' welfare.
  3. Foster and strengthen partnership and collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the delivery of care and land based activities for the welfare of patients and communities. iv. Undertake community based activities with the participation and involvement of relevant stakeholders including Government, NGOs which include Disease Specific Patient organizations, individual patients, guardians, local leaders, community based organizations (CBOs), health delivery institutions, relevant service providers and Development partners within the partnership frameworks in order to ensure resource leveraging and cost effectiveness. v. Promote adequate environmental health and safety measures in hospitals, workplaces and among communities.
  4. Ensure the existence of strong, open, accountable, ethical and transparent health governance systems'.
  5. Promote and advocate for the implementation of inclusive programmes and cross cutting issues of gender good governance, climate change and sustainable livelihoods and
  6. Foster and facilitate exchange of knowledge, information and best practices with like minded organizations at National, Regional and International level.

5. Areas of Strategic Focus of PAWEM

PAWEM has seven (7) thematic areas of strategic focus that constitute the pillars of its activities and these are:

  1. COMMUNITY MOBILZATION AND EMPOWERMENT: PAWEM believes that patient and vulnerable community groups' welfare can only be achieved with strong participation and maximum engagement of the community through its various structures. The focus on community mobilization including awareness raising of patients' and provider rights and community responsibility will ensure that the welfare of patients and vulnerable community groups is guaranteed and there is an accountable health and social sector.
  2. EFECTIVE HEALTH, SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE DELIVERY: PAWEM ensures that there is people and patient centered health and social service delivery with a focus on primary health care across the country. The sub themes under this include: Access to primary justice, Health systems strengthening, Human Resources for Health, Health promotion, Quality management and assurance, Patient safety, Pharmacovigilance, Monitoring and accountability surveillance in the provision and utilization of health commodities supply chain, Social accountability through the Hospital Ombudsman and Health facility commitees, budget implementation monitoring
  3. EVIDENCE BASED ADVOCACY : Conduct regular surveillance, research and analysis of various health and social issues that negatively impact on equitable access to universal health provision, adherence to Regional and International commitments at National, District and Grass root levels for redress through
  4. CROSS CUTTING ISSUES: GENDER,GOOD GOVERNANCE, MINORITY AND VULNERABLE GROUPS, CLIMATE CHANGE AND PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS : PAWEM is an inclusive gender sensitive organization whereby men, women, youth and adolescent boys and girls are strongly encouraged to participate in decision making.lherefore, in terms of democratic governance PAWEN will ensure that all the affected minority interests are taken into account and advocated for should the need arise to do so.
  5. INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PAWEM recognizes the importance of financial and technical resource mobilization in order to implement its interventions. Firstly, it recognizes the importance of human resource at organizational and community level for service delivery. Whereas PAWEM as an institution cannot provide all necessary human and financial resources required for implementation of interventions, it will mobilize communities and their respective structures to provide the human resource largely on voluntary basis with emphasis on reciprocal social responsibility towards each other. This will result in the strengthening of existing social support system.
  6. PARTNERSHIP, COLLABORATION AND NETWORKING: Patients and vulnerable community groups welfare depends on a number of aspects that not only one organization can adequately fulfill. Collaboration for resource leveraging in terms of financial and technical capacities is PAWEM PRIORITY. PAWEM will work in collaboration with various state accountability institutions and advocate full implementation of recommendations or remedial actions concerning health and social service delivery. To ensure best practice, PAWEM will work with likeminded organizations at National, Regional and International levels
  7. OPERATIONS:PAWEM is a participatory organization which ensures that all relevant stakeholders make and voice their contributions through their respective representatives and direct participation in making their voices heard and influence policies that guarantee patients' and vulnerable community groups' welfare.
  • PAWEM BOARD :PAWEM operates through a Board of Trustees which is responsible for overall Policy direction and guidance.The Management is headed by the Executive Director who is assisted by a team of Directors.
  • PAWEM DISTRICT CHAPTERS: PAWEM operates within the framework of PAWEM DISTRICT CHAPTERS who coordinate and collaborate with Local Disease and Patient Groups, District Councils ,Non state actors, key Government Departments, District Councils, Health facilities, Health Facility Advisory Committees, Health Facility Ombudsman, Local Leaders, Faith Community, Area and Village Development Committees, CBOs, FBO and Patient groups while maintaining its professional independence. The initiative would be to have PDVC in all our areas of operation with a view that communities must have a central role in effective oversight on service delivery and ensuring that patient and vulnerable social- community issues are raised without fear of reprisals and addressed accordingly.
  • MONITORING, EVALUATION AND LEARNING: PAWEM strongly believes in monitoring both process achievements and outcomes realized. Therefore for monitoring progress of implementation it will use inclusive participatory processes.