World patient safety day: Patients urged to exercise right to ask nurses questions bothering them

World Patient Safety Day (WPSD), observed annually on 17 September, aims to raise global awareness about patient safety and call for solidarity and united action by all countries and international partners to reduce patient harm.

World patient safety day: Patients urged to exercise right to ask nurses questions bothering them
Nurse using mobile phones

As the world marks world patient, patients have been advised by the Sunyani Municipal Public Health Officer Evelyn Opoku Agyemang to feel free to ask any question bothering them whenever they visit health facilities.

According to him, it is their right to demand answers from health officials on issues they do not understand or the challenges facing them.

World Patient Safety Day (WPSD), observed annually on 17 September, aims to raise global awareness about patient safety and call for solidarity and united action by all countries and international partners to reduce patient harm.

Patient safety focuses on preventing and reducing risks, errors and harm that happen to patients during the provision of health care. For World Patient Safety Day, 17 September 2021, WHO urges all stakeholders to “Act now for safe and respectful childbirth!” with the theme “Safe maternal and newborn care”.

Approximately 810 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. In addition, around 6700 newborns die every day, amounting to 47% of all under-5 deaths. Moreover, about 2 million babies are stillborn every year, with over 40% occurring during labour.

Considering the significant burden of risks and harm women and newborns are exposed to due to unsafe care, compounded by the disruption of essential health services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign is even more important this year. Fortunately, the majority of stillbirths and maternal and newborn deaths are avoidable through the provision of safe and quality care by skilled health professionals working in supportive environments.

This can only be achieved through the engagement of all stakeholders and the adoption of comprehensive health systems and community-based approaches.

Soireenews in a random interview spoke to the public concerning the treatment meted out to them whenever they visit the hospital. Whiles some expressed satisfaction, others expressed worry over the negligence of some health officials. They are worried over the rate at which some officials resort to focusing on their phones instead of their patients calling on health authorities to address the issue with the needed effort.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Public Health Officer Evelyn Amponsah says sometimes pressing of phones by health officials may be that they are researching on what treatment to offer and not WhatsApping or the other way round.