The Five Whys Technique

The Five Whys Technique is a simple yet powerful root cause analysis tool for Zambian tertiary health students. By repeatedly asking 'Why?' (typically five times), one can drill down past surface symptoms to uncover the underlying cause of a problem. Students apply this technique to investigate incidents like a lab test error or a patient complaint in Zambian healthcare. This skill is essential for exams and for quality improvement, enabling future managers and clinicians to prevent problem recurrence by addressing fundamental process or system failures, rather than applying temporary fixes, thereby enhancing patient safety and operational reliability in health services across Zambia.