Make patient safety, care a priority: Health minister
‘Access to safe and high-quality healthcare is a human right in line with international humanitarian law’
MINISTER of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohammed al Kuwari has called on all political leaders and policy makers from around the world to work towards a common vision for the development and implementation of a global plan of action on patient safety.
The minister was speaking at a symposium organised by Qatar on healthcare quality and patient safety in the face of emergencies and adversities as a prerequisite for achieving universal health coverage, with the participation of 17 countries, WHO Secretariat, WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and a number of non-governmental organisations.
The symposium was held on the sidelines of the WHO World Health Assembly held in Geneva.
Dr Kuwari said access to safe and high-quality healthcare is a human right in accordance with international humanitarian law, adding that securing this right worldwide requires regional and international cooperation and overcoming obstacles on the path to safer healthcare.
She called for safe comprehensive health coverage and making patient safety and care quality top priority.
The minister said Qatar boasts high-quality and safe public healthcare system with modern and internationally accredited hospitals as well as Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) healthcare workers who work with local and international partners to ensure that patients are provided with quality care and safety.
She highlighted the humanitarian activities and commitments Qatar is known for. -“Relevant stakeholders in Qatar are working to improve the lives of those in need globally through a wide range of humanitarian assistance, relief services and development activities, where the 2018 World Summit on Innovation in Health Care (WISH) issued a report on challenges and opportunities for achieving universal health coverage in conflict areas,” she added.
The minister said, as part of its commitment to global health security, Qatar was one of the first countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region and the seventh in the world to be subject to the external assessment process to measure compliance with the International Health Regulations 2005, to ensure that Qatar is ready to respond to any problems related to global health security.
Dr Kuwari said despite international priorities and country-specific commitments being identified, there is a gap in patient safety and this gap is more prominent in emergencies and tribulations and meeting this challenge has several complex aspects and requires intersectoral and global cooperation between countries and organisations.
The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is working on a promising study with a number of partners to review key challenges and priorities for quality and safety in times of adversity with a goal to formulate a framework or road map to help implement a flexible health care system capable of responding effectively to any challenges, she said.
She stressed that safety must be a prerequisite for achieving comprehensive health coverage during emergencies and adversities, while strengthening the approach to serving those in need.
Dr Kuwari called for intensified global efforts in treating patients who are living in rough environments.
She also called for a global implementation of patient safety and learning from the experience of WHO in that regard.