FG intensifies patient safety efforts and focuses on safer treatments for non-communicable diseases

The Federal Government has renewed its commitment to strengthen patient safety and improve the quality of healthcare, especially for Nigerians living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, stated this on Thursday in Abuja at the commemoration of World Patient Safety Day 2026, observed annually on 17 September.

This year’s celebration is themed “Safe Treatment for Non-Communicable Diseases,” with the slogan “Safe Treatment for Life!”

Pate said the theme highlights the need to ensure that people living with non-communicable diseases receive safe, coordinated and quality healthcare throughout their care journey.

He noted that diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease often require prolonged interaction with the healthcare system, creating multiple points where patient safety risks could arise.

According to him, such risks can occur at various stages of care, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, referral, follow-up and long-term disease management.

The Minister stressed that patient safety remains fundamental to the quality and effectiveness of healthcare delivery, requiring that the right care is provided to the right patient, at the right time and in the right way, minimizing avoidable harm.

Pate said the federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare developed the National Patient Safety and Quality of Care Policy and Implementation Strategy in 2024 as part of efforts to strengthen safety and quality across the healthcare system.

He added that the ministry further strengthened its commitment in January 2026 with the establishment and inauguration of the National Task Force on Clinical Governance and Patient Safety.

The task force, he explained, is tasked with strengthening the systems and structures needed to institutionalize clinical governance and patient safety across Nigeria.

The Coordinating Minister underlined that safer healthcare cannot be achieved solely through the individual commitment of healthcare workers.

He said this requires strong leadership and governance structures, clear standards, competent and adequately supported healthcare workers, reliable data, functional reporting and learning systems, quality improvement mechanisms, as well as meaningful involvement of patients and their families.

Pate said the Government will continue to strengthen these systems to ensure that patient safety becomes an integral part of healthcare delivery and that Nigerians living with non-communicable diseases can receive safer care throughout their treatment journey.

The representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Nigeria, r. Pavel Ursu has called for greater attention to the quality and safety of care for people living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), as the burden of such diseases continues to increase across Africa.

The WHO representative said that mortality from non-communicable diseases in the African region increased from 24% in 2000 to 37% in 2019.

The representative noted that nearly two-thirds of deaths from non-communicable diseases in Africa are premature, compared to 41.7% globally, highlighting the need to improve access and quality of non-communicable disease services.

According to the WHO, people with noncommunicable diseases often receive care from multiple providers and facilities for long periods, creating risks such as delayed or misdiagnoses, medication errors, adverse drug interactions, weak follow-up and poor communication.

The representative highlighted the importance of expanding quality services for non-communicable diseases, particularly through primary healthcare, while strengthening the use of evidence-based protocols, standard operating procedures and referral systems to ensure safer care for patients.

Director of Hospital Services Dr Okpikpi Okpako said patient safety begins with healthy communities, resilient healthcare systems, informed patients and healthcare environments that minimize preventable harm.

He said: “We contribute to this broader goal through our work in health security, infection prevention and control, community health and hygiene and antimicrobial resistance.

“As we celebrate this important day, we affirm our commitment to working alongside government, healthcare workers, partners, patients and communities to advance safer healthcare in Nigeria.”

Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Kachollom Shangti Daju, has highlighted the need to strengthen patient safety in the management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), saying that patients need safe and continuous care throughout their treatment journey.

Daju noted that treatment of non-communicable diseases often involves screening, diagnosis, medications, referrals and regular monitoring, emphasizing that each step represents an opportunity to provide quality care and prevent avoidable harm.

He said patient safety goes beyond error prevention and aims to integrate safety into the design and delivery of healthcare.

According to her, this requires clear standards, supported healthcare professionals, reliable information, stronger referral systems and a culture of learning and continuous improvement.

He added that patient safety remains central to the government’s mandate to save lives, reduce physical and financial pain and achieve better health outcomes for Nigerians.