FG Plans To Develop Patient Safety Guide

The Federal Government has concluded plans to develop National Patients’ Safety Guide as part of measures to ensure that patients are protected ​from unnecessary harm that could lead to death during medical treatment.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Issac Adewale, disclosed this on Saturday while delivering a lecture titled, Patient Safety in Nigeria, during the maiden public lecture of the College of Health Sciences of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State.

He described ‘patient’s safety’ as the reduction of risk or unnecessary harm associated with healthcare to an acceptable minimum.

He identified key issues in patient safety in Nigeria to include, medication errors, diagnostic errors, workplace safety, reprocessing and sterilization issues, improper supervision of patients, and poor follow up, among others.

He said, “In a short while, the national patients’ safety guide would be developed.

“This would be followed by capacity building of health workers, use of safe and suitable infrastructure, ensuring maintenance culture and safe environment for patients and providers.”

Adewole added that patient safety emerged in response to a high prevalence of avoidable adverse events in the treatment of patients.

He stressed the need to promote measures for the safety of patients at all levels of healthcare delivery in the country.

Earlier, the vice chancellor of the university, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, said the institution was set to commence the establishment of Patient Safety Institute to drive quality healthcare delivery in the country.

NAN