World Health Organisation’s (WHO) World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) is observed annually across the globe on September 17 to raise awareness about patient’s safety and promote actions to enhance safety in healthcare.
- The day aims to highlight the global issue of the significant burden of harm caused by unsafe medical practices and encourage people to unite for healthcare practices.
Theme:
The theme of WPSD 2024 is “Improving diagnosis for patient safety” and the slogan is “Get it right, make it safe!”, which emphasises the vital role of accurate and timely diagnosis in safeguarding patients and improving healthcare outcomes.
Background:
i. WPSD was established by the 72nd World Health Assembly in 2019, through the adoption of resolution WHA 72.6 ‘Global action on patient safety’.
ii.The first-ever WPSD was observed on September 17 2019.
Objectives:
i.To increase public awareness of errors in diagnosis.
ii.To give importance to diagnostic safety in patient safety policy
iii.To enhance collaboration among policymakers, health workers and other in advancing correct, timely and safe diagnosis.
iv.To empower patients and families to actively engage to improve diagnostic processes.
WHO’s Initiative:
i.In 2020, WHO established a flagship initiative ‘A Decade of Patient’s Safety 2021–2030’, to support strategic action on patient safety globally.
- The initiative helps to implement the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030.
- The initiative includes the Patients for Patients Safety (PFPS) program, which aims to empower patients and families to collaborate with health professionals and policymakers to improve healthcare safety.
ii.In April 2024, WHO also launched the Patient Safety Rights Charter at the 6th Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety in Chile, which provides healthcare workers, leaders, and governments with tools for developing patient-centred healthcare systems.
Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030:
i.It was formally adopted at the World Health Assembly(WHA) on 28 May 2021.
ii.It outlines a 10-year roadmap and actions to achieve its goal in which no one is harmed in healthcare and every patient receives safe and respectful care.
About Global Patient Safety Report 2024:
The WHO has published the Global Patient Safety Report 2024, which gives the first insight into the state of patient safety globally and highlights key areas for improvement.
i.This is the first global report on the implementation of the Global Patient Safety Action Plan (GPSAP) 2021–2030, adopted by the WHA in 2021 to improve patient safety in all settings and at all levels of care provision.
ii.Patients’ easy access to their medical records is fundamental to improving safety, and currently, around 80% of countries have established procedures in place.
- Only 11% of countries reported that sufficient financial resources were allocated to implement all planned patient safety interventions.
iii.The report measures the progress of over 100 Member States against 7 strategic objectives established in GPSAP: policy development; building reliable organisations; ensuring the safety of clinical processes; engaging patients and families; enhancing health worker education, skills and safety; improving information, research and risk management; and fostering synergy, partnerships and solidarity.
2024 Events:
i. The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), a constituent board of the Quality Council of India (QCI) hosted the NABH Patient Safety Conference (NPSC 2024) in New Delhi(Delhi) on World Patient Safety Day, September 17, 2024.
- The event was aimed to enhance patient safety and healthcare quality.
- NPSC 2024 aligns with the vision of ‘One Earth, One Health – Advantage Healthcare India’.
ii.The event was virtually graced by Union Minister JP Nadda, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
iii.The NPSC 2024 was organised by the Quality Council of India (QCI), an autonomous body set up by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry(MoC&I).
iv.The key initiatives at NPSC 2024 are:
- E-Mitra Chatbot: It is a 24/7 Artificial intelligence (AI) powered tool available on WhatsApp and the NABH website to streamline accreditation processes.
- Mitra Physical Centres: It supports the small hospitals in Tier 2, Tier 3 cities, and rural areas to promote NABH standards and entry-level certifications.
- E-Skilling Modules: An interactive healthcare management training that provides digital certifications upon successful completion.
- Architects Empanelment: It ensures compliance with NABH safety regulations through skilled infrastructure planning and design.
About the World Health Organisation (WHO):
Director-General (DG) – Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
Established – 1948
