"Throughout the COVID-19 response we have continued to conduct training on adverse event reporting and follow up and have also carried out sanitization training on the new global patient safety action plan," said WHO Regional Director.
She further noted that countries promote safe medication practices with a focus on several key areas. The critical areas include ensuring policy-makers can establish patient safety, incident reporting and learning systems, while at the same time, monitoring and evaluating impact; empowering health care leaders and facility managers to develop and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) for safe medication use, while also increasing health workers training.
She added, "Today, on World Patient Safety Day, let us continue to accelerate towards our region and world in which no one is harmed in healthcare and bear every patient receives safe and respectful care - every time, everywhere."
In 2019, World Health Organization's (WHO) determined September 17 as the World Patient Safety Day.
Every year, World Patient Safety Day is observed under a specific theme. This year, the theme of World Patient Safety Day 2022 is 'Medication Safety' along with the slogan 'Medication Without Harm' with a call to action to 'Know, Check & Ask'. Medication errors and unsafe practices can lead to severe patient harm, disabilities, and deaths.
The day brings together patients, families, caregivers, communities, health workers, healthcare leaders, and policy-makers to show their commitment to patient safety. Empower and encourage patients, caregivers and family members to avoid medication errors, ensure safe use of medicines, and prevent patient harm. Advocate immediate action to promote drug safety and raise global awareness about the significant burden of medication errors and unsafe medication practices.
