Kosovo Showcased at Integrated People-Centred Care Symposium in Switzerland
Prishtina, 3 September 2025 – Kosovo participated in international discussions on the challenges of chronic diseases and new approaches to organizing healthcare. These discussions were part of the symposium “Integrated People-Centred Care”, held on 2 September in Basel, Switzerland.
The symposium, organized by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), brought together Swiss and international experts from research, healthcare, the public and private sectors, as well as patient representatives, to foster dialogue and align cross-sectoral, interdisciplinary, and cross-border efforts. Participants shared best practices in addressing chronic diseases from around the world. From Kosovo, presentations were delivered by the teams of two Swiss TPH-implemented projects, joint initiatives of the Ministry of Health of Kosovo and the Government of Switzerland.
The Integrated Health Services (IHS) project presented the development of a digital tool for patient self-management of diabetes, while the Accessible Quality Healthcare (AQH) project shared findings from a study monitoring conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, aimed at strengthening prevention and improving care.
“Integrated people-centred care aims to provide a more holistic approach, tailored to needs, and to build bridges between different actors in the system,” said Jana Gerold, Project Leader at Swiss TPH and member of the symposium’s organizing committee.
A highlight of the event was the opening of the exhibition “Everyday Things: Life with a Chronic Condition”, which presented personal stories of patients and families from Kosovo, Moldova, Switzerland, and Ukraine. Through everyday objects, such as a pencil, a blood glucose meter, or a family photograph, the exhibition shed light on the often-invisible experiences of living with chronic disease. The virtual exhibition can be explored here: https://www.instagram.com/chroniccareobjects/