The World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed, medication errors contribute to millions of death across the globe every year.
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| Dr. Matshidiso Moeti. World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa |
In her message to mark the 2022 World Patient Safety Day, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, made the declaration.
Moeti stated, major factors that contribute to unsafe practices include human factors and medication systems. Also many countries don’t have what it takes to detect, evaluate and prevent issues of medicine safety.
She went ahead to list more factors that heightens the level of medication errors, which are; language difficulties, illiteracy, religious and socio-cultural beliefs.
She said: “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.’’
On the plan to implement the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021 – 2030, Moeti disclosed, the World Health Regulatory Body has already swung into action by working with member states to ensure the implementation takes place successfully.
“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 buttressed.
She further said, the WHO 39 member states had created essential medicine lists with standard treatment guidelines. Also 25 member states have developed National medicine formularies that guide the selection of medicines for procurement, prescription and dispensing practices.
