17th September, 2022
By Franca Ofili
The World Health Organization (WHO) said medication errors contribute to more than three million deaths globally every year.
Its Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, made the declaration in her message to mark the 2022 World Patient Safety Day.
The Day is observed annually on Sept. 17 to raise global awareness about patient safety and to call for solidarity and united action by all countries and international partners to reduce patients harm.
Moeti noted that medication systems and human factors were major contributory factors to unsafe practices.
She noted also that many countries lacked the capacity to detect, evaluate and prevent medicine safety issues.
She said illiteracy, language difficulties, as well as socio-cultural and religious beliefs, also played roles in exacerbating medication errors.
“Based on current estimates, 42 billion dollars of total health expenditure worldwide could be averted if medication errors are addressed.
“Medication without harm aims to reduce severe avoidable medication-related harm by 50 per cent globally in the next five years,
“This will be done through focused activities and interventions targeting three areas – patients and the public; health care professionals and medicines and systems and medication practices,’’ she added.
Moeti said that WHO was working with member states to implement the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021 – 2030.
“A regional patient safety strategy and road map are currently being developed to guide its implementation.
“Some notable highlights include support to establish and strengthen National Medicine Regulatory Authorities (NRAs), by building regulatory capacity and promoting regulatory harmonisation.
“Strengthened regulatory systems serve to eliminate barriers which impede access to safe, effective and quality-assured medical products.
“WHO already developed tools to assist member states in benchmarking NRAs to identify strengths and implement plans to address weaknesses.
“Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania have already attained Maturity Level 3, indicating their regulatory systems are functioning well, and integrating the requisite elements to guarantee stable performance.
“This reduces their vulnerability to substandard and falsified medical products,’’ she stressed.
Moeti said that 39 WHO member states had developed essential medicines lists linked to standard treatment guidelines.
According to her, 25 member states have also developed national medicine formularies that guide the selection of medicines for procurement, prescription and dispensing practices.
Moeti encouraged healthcare to take a more active role in ensuring safer medication practices, and medication-use processes.