As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to celebrate 2022 World Patient Safety Day, the World Health Organization, WHO, has raised the alarm that medication errors contribute to more than three million deaths globally every year.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, who raised the alarm in her message to mark the 2022 World Patient Safety Day, noted that medication errors were exacerbated by overwhelmed health systems during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She added that, “Medication errors occur because of weaknesses in medication systems and are aggravated by shortages of well-trained health staff and poor working and environmental conditions for delivery of quality healthcare. Among low and medium-income countries, the African region has the highest prevalence of substandard and counterfeit medicines of about 18.7 per cent.’’
She decried the administration of surplus medication at home; the purchase of medication from pharmacies on the advice of friends and relatives rather than on prescription by trained professionals.
Moeti also stressed that the use of old prescriptions to buy medication to treat current ailment is a common practice that should be stopped.
She said illiteracy, language difficulties, as well as socio-cultural and religious beliefs, also played roles in exacerbating medication errors.
Moeti said that WHO was working with member states to implement the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021 – 2030.
Moeti stated further 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
The WHO observes September 17th annually as World Patient Safety Day. This year’s theme tagged “Medication Without Harm” is aimed 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.
Historically, it was established in 2019 by the 72nd World Health Assembly through the adoption of resolution WHA 72.6 - ‘Global Action on Patient Safety ‘. The day focuses on preventing and reducing risks, errors and harm that patients face.
This online medium recalled that the Lagos state government has advised citizens of the state to source medical care only from Lagos state government-approved health facilities.
The state’s Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi gave the advice at the maiden edition of the annual World Patient Safety Day organized by an agency of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event themed, “Medication Safety”, with the slogan “Medication without harm”, attracted medical and allied professionals from both the public and private sectors of the state.
Speaking as the chief host for the event, Professor Abayomi, discouraged patients from patronizing health facilities that are not accredited by HEFAMAA.
 “I would like to discourage any citizen of the state trying to source medical care outside of approved medical facilities. They should go for a facility that HEFAMAA has signed up for to be credible and competent. They should not patronize facilities that have not been given accreditation by HEFAMAA.”