Every year on September 17  World Patient Safety Day is celebrated by the World Health Organization, its international partners and all countries. The aim of this day spread awareness & enhance global understanding of patient safety. The idea is to increase public engagement in the safety of health care and promote global actions to enhance patient safety and reduce patient harm, as per WHO. The fundamental principle of medicine is First, do no harm. This day observation becomes even more significant during the coronavirus situation when medical staff and other COVID-19 warriors are working tirelessly to help save patients and also curb the spread of the deadly infection. As per WHO, the pandemic is "presently among the biggest challenges and threats to face the world and humanity, and health care is living its greatest crisis in patient safety ever!" And the unprecedented pressure on health systems worldwide is now way more than ever.

World Patient Safety Day History & Theme

The history of World Patient Safety Day doesn't date back to very long ago. In May 2019, the 72nd World Health Assembly established the World Patient Safety with the adoption of resolution WHA72.6 on ‘Global action on patient safety’.  On this day, an endorsement for the Day to be marked annually on 17 September. World Patient Safety Day builds on a series of successful annual Global Ministerial Summits on Patient Safety, which started in London in 2016 and amid the coronavirus situation WHO urges all stakeholders to “Speak up for health worker safety!" 

World Patient Safety Day 2020 Significance

The day holds immense significance in terms of public safety and the proper treatment of patients in the hospital. And it is now more important than ever because of the present Coronavirus situation. However, to observe World Patient Safety Day 2020  it is important to keep a few things in mind. WHO lays down a few aims of this day. Here they are:

Raise global awareness about the importance of health worker safety and its interlinkages with patient safety

Engage multiple stakeholders and adopt multimodal strategies to improve the safety of health workers and patients

Implement urgent and sustainable actions by all stakeholders which recognize and invest in the safety of health workers, as a priority for patient safety

Provide due recognition of health workers’ dedication and hard work, particularly amid the current fight against COVID-19

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2020 07:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).