Monrovia – While healthcare has brought huge benefits to mankind, it is not without dangers.
The issue has become so important that the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the first-ever World Patient Safety Day (September 17, 2019) to been celebrated each year across the world.
This new international day is being celebrated across the globe as part of WHO’s campaign to create awareness on patient’s safety at health facilities and urge everyone to show commitment in making healthcare safer around the world.
Celebrated under the theme, “Patient Safety: A Global Health Priority,” with the slogan “Speak up for Patient Safety.”
The objective of the campaign is to mobilize patients, health workers, policymakers, academics and researchers to speak up for patient’s safety in their various institutions.
In Liberia, the Ministry of Health (MOH) in partnership with WHO as well as local and international NGOs, observed the day with a call for national involvement in the promotion of patient’s safety across the country.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry, the Director of Healthcare and Quality Management Unit at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ngormbu J. Ballah, said patient’s safety is a top most priority of the government.
According to Dr. Ballah, MOH is working out plan for the inclusion of patient’s safety teaching at various health institutions of learning in Liberia. He said the day will help to raise awareness on possible means of improving patient’s safety.
“To be a part of this celebration as a people is a very good opportunity for us to improve on patient’s safety at our health facilities.
“We want to ensure that each of every patient who stays in our country is safe. One of the top most priorities of the Ministry is to start teaching the importance and benefits of patient’s safety in our health institutions.
According to Director Ballah, patient’s safety requires the collective effort of every Liberian regardless of profession.
Speaking on behalf of WHO Country Representative, the Lead Technician on the Korea International Cooperative Agency (KOICA) at WHO Liberia Office, Moses B. Bolongei, said patient’s safety as a global issue needs to be work on by relevant authority in order to achieve universal health coverage.
According to him, in order to achieve global health coverage as a nation, patient’s safety should be a top priority.
“The issue of global safety have become a global problem, so we need to work on it if we want to achieve universal health coverage,” he stated.
Speaking further, Bolongei noted that patient’s safety at health facilities is cardinal in building trust between patients and health providers. Adding: ‘It brings about trust whenever patients are safe at a health facility.”
Giving an overview of the celebration, the Clinical Coordinator for Patient Safety & Healthcare Quality at MOH, Dr. Lekilay G. Tehmeh, said investment in patient’s safety is significant in patient survivability.
He used the occasion to call on caregivers and other health practitioners to engage in active research in the advancement of patient’s safety across their work place. According to Dr. Tehmeh much can be done by everyone in making healthcare safe.