World Patient Safety Day

Overview:

On the World Patient Safety Day, observed on September 17th, the World Health Organization (WHO) urges all stakeholders to take early action in key areas associated with significant patient harm due to unsafe medication practices, such as: medication and drug abuse, polypharmacy, simultaneous use of multiple medications, medication errors resulting from the confusion of drug names, in addition to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on medication safety; due to severe slowdown in the provision of health services. It is in this context that «Medication Safety» has been selected as the theme for the World Patient Safety Day 2022, with the slogan «Medication Without Harm».

It is noted that the World Patient Safety Day was first introduced in 2019 to enhance global understanding of patient safety, increase public engagement in the safety of health care, and promote global actions to enhance patient safety and reduce patient harm.

Facts:

Medication errors may result from poor communication between physicians, or between physicians and their patients, similarity index of medicine names, or misunderstanding of medical abbreviations.
Medication misuse may lead to serious consequences; depending on the medicine and the method of its use.
You should consult your doctor before starting or stopping any medication, in addition to the manner and dose prescribed by the doctor.

Objectives:

Raise global awareness of the high burden of medication-related harm due to medication errors and unsafe practices, and advocate urgent action to improve medication safety.
Engage key stakeholders and partners in the efforts to prevent medication errors and reduce medication-related harm.
Empower patients and families to be actively involved in the safe use of medication.
Scale Up implementation of the WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge: Medication Without Harm.