Aga Khan Hospital recognized again for excellence in stroke care
The Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi (AKUH,N) has been recognized once again as a center of excellence for the management of acute primary stroke by the Joint Commission International (JCI), a global authority in healthcare quality standards. The certification is usually reviewed every three years.
AKUH,N recognition followed an extensive audit that assessed the quality of care and patient safety protocols with the evaluation covering areas such as international patient safety goals, program leadership and management, clinical care delivery or facilitation, support for patient and caregiver self-management, clinical information management, and performance measurement and improvement.
The hospital first achieved this certification in 2021, becoming the first hospital in Africa to be recognized as a center of excellence for stroke care, and is still the only JCI-certified Acute Primary Stroke Care center on the continent.
“Quality is one of our values and this certification is an external validation that we remain true to that value,” said Hospital CEO Rashid Khalani. “By opening ourselves to an external review of our processes, we are benchmarking with the best hospitals globally.”
Dr. Boniface Mativa, Chief of Medical Staff, noted that AKUH, N has made significant investments in processes to ensure the quality of care provided aligns with global best practices.
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Patients well-being
“Our benchmarking with the best quality systems globally means that we have the patient’s well-being in our hearts and anyone who seeks care at AKUH is assured that their care will follow the evidence based care protocols outlined by the set quality standards,” said Dr Mativa.
This certification underscores the hospital’s dedication to providing the highest level of care for stroke patients. “At AKUH, N we are open to continuously learning to improve our quality protocols in care for our patients and appreciate all initiatives that are in favor of this agenda,” said Mr Khalani.
This certification adds to a series of international accreditations and recognitions for AKUH, N. The hospital became the first in the region to receive JCI hospital accreditation in 2013 and has been reaccredited every three years since. In 2018, its laboratory was accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), highlighting the excellence of its laboratory services.
In 2020, the hospital was certified by JCI as a center of excellence for the management of heart attacks, becoming the first hospital in Sub-Saharan Africa to earn this distinction.
