World Patients Safety Day is annually celebrated on 17th September by the World Health Organization(WHO), international partners and all countries to create a better understanding of the patient’s safety and to increase the participation of the public in the safety of healthcare.
The First World Patients Safety day was observed on 17th September 2019.
The theme of World Patient Safety Day 2020 is “Health Worker Safety: A Priority for Patient Safety”
Background:
i.To promote the global actions to enhance the safety of the patients and to reduce the harm of the patients all the members of WHO (194 member states) approved the resolution WHA72.6 at the 72nd World Health Assembly in May 2019, and proclaimed the 17th of September as the World Patient Health Day.
ii.The origin of this day is one of the fundamental principles of medicine “Do no harm”
Objectives of 2020 World Patients Safety Day:
- To enhance the awareness of the importance of the safety of health care workers and its connection to patient’s safety.
- To adopt multimodal strategies and engage the stakeholders to improve the safety of healthcare workers and patients.
- To implement the urgent and sustainable projects actions of all the stakeholders that invest on the safety of healthcare workers and patients.
- To recognise the dedication and hard work of the healthcare workers amid COVID-19 pandemic.
Call for Action:
i.Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the health care workers are put through various difficulties and risk of infection, violence and death.
ii.The WHO urges the stakeholders to “Speak up for health worker safety!”
Events 2020:
WHO has planned various activities to observe and celebrate the World Patients safety day which includes,
i.A global virtual event on “One World: Global solidarity for health worker safety and patient safety”.
ii.WHO in collaboration with local authorities initiated a global campaign to mark the World Patients Safety day by illuminating the monuments, landmarks and public places in orange colour.
Initiatives of India:
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare introduced the National Patient Safety Implementation Framework (NP SIF) (2018-2025) in 2018 with the focus on Patients Safety as the fundamental element of healthcare.
About World Health Organization(WHO):
Director General– Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
