Officially, ISQua was born in Udine, Italy on 29 June 1985 in connection with a World Health Organization (WHO) Working Group on Training in Quality Assurance. The founding fathers were the participants of this Working Group. The idea of an international society devoted to quality assurance in health care was, however, born much earlier – arguably in Kuopio, Finland on a beautiful April evening in 1977, the same year I was born.

With no medical references in my family, I had no idea I would be today writing this blog for you, as we wrap up 2021 and make some important reflections, especially about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Since our very beginning, there was a commitment to diversity, which was based on our actions around the globe and our activities with a focus on the low and middle-income countries. But never in our global history has the Society given a voice to this issue, like recently.

Linked to the world events and always searching to improve, in 2020 ISQua took an important step on its Board composition. The present Board is more diverse than ever before, with representatives from all continents of the World, including three from Latin America and one from Africa. These members are Ezequiel Garcia Elorrio from Argentina, myself and Fabio Gastal from Brazil, and Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey from Ghana.

This was a historic and important step in an organization as traditional as ours and a message to the world that all the individuals matter to us, and that together we are stronger and more capable to lead change and improve quality and safety worldwide. Do you come with us?

Happy holidays!

Much love,

Isabela Castro

ISQua Honorary Board Member for Person-Centred Care