Patient safety: FG TO DEVELOP NATIONAL POLICY, STRATEGY TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE

….As WHO urges stakeholders to tackle challenges

By AKOR SYLVESTER-Abuja

In its resolve to prevent harm occasioned by medication error, the federal government yesterday, said it has concluded plans to develop a National Policy and Strategy on Patient Safety and Quality to improve the health care on patients at all time.

This is as the World Health Organisation (WHO) raised concerned on alarming harm on patients yearly as a result of wrong medication.

The minister of Health , Osagie Ehanire who spoke at the Press Briefing to commemorate the 2022 World Patient Safety Day in Abuja yesterday said the national policy would be used in health facilities at all levels of care.

He send: “Nigeria is already working to develop its National Policy and Strategy on Patient Safety and Quality of care.

“We are hoping it will be completed and launched this year so that it can be deployed for use in all our health facilities at all levels of care.

“The policy focuses on improving medication safety, surgical safety, safety of all medical procedures etc. Sensitization and capacity are ongoing in our Federal Tertiary Health Institutions in the form of training on medication safety, infection prevention control, and other aspects of patient safety.

“It is my hope that hospitals at all levels will be able to adopt and implement patient safety at different levels of care.

“Patient safety is everybody’s business and it requires the active participation of many key partners ranging from patients and their families to governmental, nongovernmental and professional organizations”,.

Represented at the occasion by the Director of Hospital Services in the ministry, Adebinpe Adebiyi, the minister said; “this policy document will improve patient safety, clinical outcomes and client satisfaction by establishing the systems for assessing, measuring and improving patient safety at all levels of care in Nigeria.

“This policy is binding on Government MDAs, at both national and state levels as well as stakeholders (NGOs, regulatory bodies, professional bodies, scientific associations and societies, academic and research institutions and civil society organisations).

“The entire healthcare system (from the federal level to the local government level, and across both the public and private sectors) will be committed to patient safety and reducing harm;.

“The public will witness and experience a nationwide push to improve clinical outcomes, with demonstrable results; and

Professionals within the healthcare system will make the patient experience a priority, providing compassionate, respectful care that balances patients’ rights and responsibilities and exceeds the expectations of patients and families”,.

Ehanire enjoined all  State Ministries of Health, NAFDAC, heads of health care facilities, Educational and research institutions Regulatory and professional bodies, Health care professional societies Patient advocacy groups, Donors and sundry stakeholders including development partners, Pharmaceutical industries and the Media to join hands with the Federal Ministry of Health to reduce medication errors and ensure safer medication practices to enthrone patient safety in Nigeria.

On his part, the WHO Regional Director for Africa,  Matshidiso Moeti, urged all stakeholders to fully commit to implementing the WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge: Medication Without Harm, and to accelerate the actions necessary to ensure safe medication practices.

He said the need for accurate data and information to guide future decision-making and optimization of therapeutics for good treatment outcomes in the Region cannot be overemphasized.

Commemoration of the World Patient Safety Day started in May 2019 when the World Health Assembly adopted the Resolution for global action on patient safety. The day is marked annually on 17th September and commemorated by the World Health Organisation (WHO), International partners and all countries with the aim of increasing public awareness, stakeholder engagement, and advocacy for adoption of best practices at the point of care to promote patient safety.