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True Global Solidarity: Spectacular World Patient Safety Day around the world


Dr Neelam Dhingra, Coordinator, Patient Safety and Risk Management, World Health Organization, reflects on World Patient Safety Day 2020.WPSD.png.da03fa56e160d143a1492a93e3ae8072.png

"Dear Colleagues

Congratulations. This is a moment of pride for all of us!

The WHO Patient Safety Flagship would like to express its deepest appreciation to members of the Global Patient Safety Network for an outstanding commemoration of the World Patient Safety Day 2020 around the world. The response to the call was phenomenal and we have already received great stories and truly inspiring reports from multiple countries, regions, partners and stakeholders showcasing a variety of activities. A number of global virtual events amplifying the messaging for the day. “Safe health workers, Safe patients” and “Speak up for Health worker safety!”. Moreover, hundreds, if not thousands, of iconic monuments, landmarks and health care facilities were lit up in colour orange from all over the world. We are working on a short summary and a full report illustrating all these amazing contributions. Most importantly, the day was a witness to expression of strong commitment and leadership of ministries of health for urgent and sustainable action, from countries across the world.

At WHO headquarters on 17 September 2020, a landmark Charter “Health worker Safety: A priority for patient safety”, was launched at a World Patient Safety Day Press Conference (https://twitter.com/who/status/1306496780649938944?s=24) by WHO Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in the presence of International Labour Organization Director General, Dr Guy Ryder and Rt. Hon Mr Jeremy Hunt, Chair, Health and Social Care Select Committee, House of Commons of the UK, who played a key role in establishing World Patient Safety Day, an active campaigner on patient safety globally and also the Co-Chair of WHO Steering Committee on World Patient Safety Day.

WHO Member States and all relevant stakeholders are invited to support health worker safety by endorsing and signing up to the Charter.

Charter: Health worker safety: a priority for patient safety

https://bit.ly/2FNEzRu  

Sign up: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-patient-safety-day/sign-up-to-the-charter---health-worker-safety

A Global Virtual Event “One world: Global solidarity for health worker safety and patient safety” was held showcasing rich participations from members of this very network, regions and countries. WHO Deputy Director General, Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, and also the Co-Chair of WHO Steering Committee on World Patient Safety Day, in her closing remarks emphasised 'World Patient Safety Day 2020 should not be seen only as Day but a platform for change.  WHO will work with partners to advance the themes of the Day throughout the entire year'.

A number of advocacy, policy, technical products were launched at the event including:

1. World Patient Safety Day 2020-21 Goals. From this year onwards, WHO will launch theme-related goals with the aim of achieving tangible and measurable improvements at the point of health service delivery. Ministries of health and health care organizations are encouraged to incorporate these goals into ongoing service improvement programmes and drives. As a new set of goals will be proposed each year, implementation teams at health care facilities are advised to institutionalize patient safety improvements achieved, and to take on new goals as well as sustaining action on goals from the previous year. WHO is setting up an online platform where health care facilities and organizations can report progress and learn from each other. A certificate of appreciation will be provided to the registered facilities. The World Patient Safety Day goals 2020–2021 are aimed at improving health worker safety. Please sign up to the goals.

Goals https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-uhl-ihs-2020.8

Sign up: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-patient-safety-day/sign-up-for-wpsd-2020-2021-goals

2. Patient safety incident reporting and learning systems: technical report and guidance: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240010338

3. WHO-ILO joint publication "Caring for those who care: National Programmes for Occupational Health for Health Workershttps://www.who.int/publications/i/item/caring-for-those-who-care

4. Protection of health and safety of health workers: Checklist for healthcare facilities https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/protection-of-health-and-safety-of-health-workers

5. An OpenWHO course on: Occupational health and safety for health workers in the context of COVID-19
https://openwho.org/courses/COVID-19-occupational-health-and-safety?tracking_user=79KWbMERvlyJs93otUBThL&tracking_type=news&tracking_id=5G2Mpe2LUQH0UI1yw8p8pV

World Patient Safety Day provides a torch bearing platform, which brings spotlight on global, national and local patient safety issues. This year the World Patient Safety Day brought a spotlight on health worker safety and its impact and interaction with patient safety.

This year’s WPSD came as a result of close collaboration between WHO and all stakeholders.  We strongly believe that the amazing sense of ownership was the key factor for success. For that, we thank you all.

Thanks and best regards,"

Dr Neelam Dhingra

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