Patient Voices in Action National Roundtable Held in Prishtina
Patient advocacy and networking took centre stage at the national roundtable “Patient Voices in Action”, held in Prishtina on 18 September 2025, as the culminating event of seven regional workshops with civil society organizations and institutions held across Kosovo over the past year.
Organized by the Integrated Health Services (IHS) the event brought together civil society organizations, institutional representatives, and patients, and patient advocates to spotlight the experiences of patients, particularly those living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), in navigating Kosovo’s health system.
The roundtable featured opening remarks from Merita Stavileci Mustafa, Senior Programme Officer at the Swiss Embassy in Kosovo, Sanie Kiçmari, Head of Citizen Rights Department at the Ministry of Health, Basri Kastrati, Deputy Ombudsperson of Kosovo, Agron Bytyqi, Executive Director of Patients Rights Association of Kosovo, and Linda Baleta, Senior Advocacy Expert at IHS.
Ms. Stavileci Mustafa, emphasized the long-term vision: “By working together, we can move closer to a health system that is integrated, quality, and trusted, and where patient voices are not only heard but truly shape the way services are delivered.”
The roundtable included a summary of key findings from the regional workshops, and a panel discussion titled “Whose Voice Counts?”. Participants also took part in open floor reflections and a group session aimed at identifying future priorities for patient advocacy.
The roundtable represents an important step toward more coordinated, inclusive health advocacy, with the goal of strengthening patient representation in decision-making and building greater trust between institutions and communities.