2024 WORLD PATIENT SAFETY DAY: LASG REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS
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The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed the crucial role that precise diagnosis plays in guaranteeing patient safety as part of its commitment to improving healthcare delivery. It has also emphasized the need of precision in diagnosis as a critical factor in lowering medical errors and improving patient outcomes.
This was emphasized on Tuesday during the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA)-organized celebration of 2024 World Patient Safety Day at the Civic Center, Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island. Senior health officials from the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders convened to exchange perspectives on the significance of patient safety.
The Honorable Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, spoke at the event and emphasized a number of ongoing state initiatives to improve diagnostic accuracy, such as investing in cutting-edge diagnostic technologies and providing enhanced training for healthcare personnel.
He pointed out that these initiatives are in line with the global subject of the 2024 World Patient Safety Day, which highlights how crucial prompt and accurate diagnosis is to preserving patient health.
According to the Commissioner, Lagos State’s status as the top medical tourism destination in Nigeria, West Africa, and the Sub-Saharan region is one way the state government is putting residents’ health first. This ensures that patients receive appropriate diagnosis and treatments that adhere to international standards.
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At the event, Abayomi asked medical staff and other caregivers to put their patients’ health first and make sure all the required procedures are completed before starting treatment.
He emphasized that in order to create an atmosphere where patients feel comfortable enough to communicate important health information—especially aspects they might be reluctant to disclose—healthcare practitioners should be sympathetic and kind in their contacts with patients.
The Commissioner went on to say that any facility found to be operating outside of these defined standards will face sanctions because the State Government has set criteria to eradicate quackery in the healthcare industry. He urged medical professionals to make sure they diagnose patients correctly, administer the right treatment, and send cases to specialists when they are unable to do so.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser on Health to the Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi said the theme of the event, “Improving Diagnosis for Patient Safety”, reflects a critical aspect of healthcare delivery, urging healthcare workers to continuously improve diagnostic accuracy.
She pointed out that receiving a diagnosis is frequently the first step in a patient’s recovery process, and that any delay or mistake in this regard can jeopardize the quality of care received overall, with potentially fatal results and a loss of patient confidence in the system.
Ogunyemi emphasized that Lagos State has consistently led Nigeria’s healthcare innovation and reform movement and that the government of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu understands that patient safety is a must and the cornerstone of providing high-quality healthcare.
She clarified that a proper diagnosis ensures that the diagnostic process is dependable, timely, and accessible because it serves as the basis for appropriate and successful therapies.
The Special Advisor also updated the public on the state government’s initiatives to modernize primary healthcare facilities, radiology services, diagnostic labs, and other facilities with state-of-the-art equipment to facilitate precise diagnosis.
The purpose of World Patient Safety Day, according to Dr. Abiola Idowu, Executive Secretary of the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), is to consider the group’s successes in enhancing patient safety and to remove obstacles that endanger patients.
Healthcare workers should foster a culture of accountability and transparency in identifying and disclosing diagnostic errors, according to Dr. Idowu.
The Executive Secretary also emphasized the importance of patients’ involvement in the diagnosis process, emphasizing that medical professionals must learn from their errors and take steps to avoid them in the future.
According to her, medical professionals should encourage people to enquire and, if needed, seek second opinions. Idowu restated HEFAMAA’s resolve to establishing and implementing minimal requirements in order to guarantee that healthcare facilities adhere to the strictest guidelines for patient safety and diagnostic accuracy.
In her lecture titled: “Patient Safety and Diagnostic Errors: Learning from Mistakes,Associate Professor and Consultant at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Dr. Rita Oladele, highlighted medication errors, diagnostic errors, and unsafe blood transfusions as examples of adverse effects that may result from unsafe healthcare practices.
She emphasized the significance of making investments to lessen patient damage by making sure healthcare facilities are staffed by licensed medical professionals and have functional diagnostic equipment.
His Royal Majesty, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, Abisogun II, the Oniru of Iruland as a Special Guest, and other medical professionals were present at the event.
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