‘Get It Right, Make It Safe!’

…Namibia observes World Patient Safety Day

HEALTH and social services minister Kalumbi Shangula has thanked healthcare workers for their efforts in making accurate diagnoses, preventing errors and strengthening patient safety.

Shangula was speaking at a World Patient Safety Day event.

The day is observed annually on 17 September.

He said this year, World Patient Safety Day was marked under the theme: ‘Improving Diagnosis for Patient Safety’ and the slogan: ‘Get it Right, Make It Safe!’.

According to the health ministry, the slogan emphasises the crucial role of accurate and timely diagnoses in ensuring patient safety and improving health outcomes.

“This annual event, under the auspices of the World Health Organisation (WHO), aims to raise awareness and foster collaboration among patients, health workers, policymakers and healthcare leaders to improve patient safety, grounded in the principle of ‘first do no harm’,” he said.

Shangula emphasised that a correct diagnosis is key to accessing the appropriate care and treatment.

“Diagnostic errors, including delayed, incorrect or missed diagnosis, can have serious consequences for the patient. We must raise global awareness about the impact of diagnostic errors and the importance of correct, timely and safe diagnosis,” he said.

Shangula further said empowering patients and families to engage actively with healthcare providers will improve diagnostic processes and overall patient safety.

“It is essential to prioritise diagnostic safety in both policy and clinical practice across all levels of healthcare,” Shangula added.

Collaboration among policymakers, healthcare leaders, health workers, patient organisations and other stakeholders is vital to advance safe and timely diagnosis, he noted.

Shangula further urged all multidisciplinary teams to prioritise safe and timely diagnosis to ensure proper treatment, in alignment with the health ministry’s vision and mission to provide quality healthcare.

“Let us celebrate World Patient Safety Day by committing to specific improvements in patient safety. The health ministry remains dedicated to ensuring the provision of quality and safe diagnostic services across our healthcare facilities,” Shangula said.

The WHO, in a statement on its website, emphasises that a diagnosis identifies a patient’s health problem and to reach a diagnosis, patients and their healthcare teams must work together to navigate the complex and sometimes lengthy diagnostic process.

“It involves discussion with the patient, examination, testing and review of results before reaching the final diagnosis and treatment. Errors can occur at any stage and can have significant consequences. Delayed, incorrect or missed diagnosis can prolong illness and sometimes cause disability or even death,” WHO notes.

The WHO further states that it will continue to work with all stakeholders to prioritise diagnostic safety and adopt a multifaceted approach to strengthen systems, design safe diagnostic pathways, support health workers in making correct decisions and engage patients throughout the entire diagnostic process.