Health ministry commemorates World Patient Safety Day
The Ministry of Health and Social Services recently launched several initiatives to better serve patients and is currently implementing various interventions centred on enhancing the modalities to engage patients in the provision of healthcare they receive.
The Minister, Hon Dr Kalumbi Shangula stated this on Monday on the occasion of World Patient Safety Day, observed annually on 17 September.
The theme for this year is “Engaging patients for patient safety,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO), in recognition of the vital role that patients, families, and caregivers play in the safety of healthcare.
WHO established World Patient Safety Day to raise awareness about patient safety and promote initiatives to improve healthcare safety globally.
“Evidence shows that when patients are consulted and informed about the decisions concerning their care, significant gains are made concerning safety, patient satisfaction, and improved health outcomes. When, within reasonable parameters, patients are afforded the space to engage with the healthcare team, the safety of their care and that of the healthcare system as a whole is enhanced,” Shangula said.
Regarding the various interventions, he explained that it was initiated in 2017 by engaging People Living With HIV (PLWHIV) as experts in care. The perspectives they have provided, he said, have proven invaluable, thereby contributing to the attainment of significant milestones by Namibia in the national HIV/AIDS response.
He added: “Engaging patients in their care means involving and engaging them wholly and informing them adequately in the decisions about their treatment. It means considering their views and valuing their perspectives on their health. It is about recognizing the uniqueness of each patient and their circumstances. The high achievement by Namibia of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 fast-track targets in HIV care is mainly due to this intervention. As a result, Namibia surpassed the 90-90-90 targets in 2019, and similarly, on the UNAIDS 95-95-95 cascade, with the target of 2030, Namibia now stands at 95-97-94 and has set an ambitious target to reach 97-97-97 by 2025. The involvement of patients is critical in the attainment of these targets.”
He also remarked that the “achievements in the fight against HIV/AIDS” would not have been achieved without PLWHIV, who provided insights that profoundly shaped the country’s national HIV/AIDS response.
“Additionally, several documents, guidelines, and training manuals to articulate the rights of patients and the obligations of health care workers for patients have been developed and operationalized. These include the Patient and Customer Services Charters, which health facilities use to enhance patient involvement and safety. Suggestion boxes and patient satisfaction exit questionnaires are also utilized to actively engage patients in their care,” he noted.
Furthermore, he stated that health education sessions are held regularly at health facilities to ensure that patients acquire important information about healthcare services and learn how to manage their well-being better. The Ministry has also established a Consumer Involvement Curriculum to enable meaningful contact with patients, Shangula added.
“It is now practice to provide training to patient representatives who serve as integral members of the Quality Improvement Committees at the antiretroviral therapy clinics. Their contributions are instrumental in enhancing the quality of care provided. Patient Safety Day 2023 must constitute a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of engaging patients in their care. By prioritizing patient engagement, we not only enhance patient safety but also improve the overall quality of healthcare at all levels.
Additionally, the Ministry has established platforms for community representatives to serve as part of Health Facilities Advisory Committees at the Regional and District levels. In this manner, communities must raise their voices, concerns, expectations, and preferences concerning health care to advance safety, patient-centredness, trust, and participation in care. Reducing harm to patients is, and will remain a critical part of all our interventions. We are all working together to ensure that every patient in Namibia receives high-quality care without harm,” he concluded.
