World Patient Safety Day 2020: Making Health Worker Safety a Priority for Patient Safety
9/17/2020
News Image
Patient safety was recognized as a global health priority by all 194 Member States of World Health Organization (WHO) in May 2019 at the 72nd World Health Assembly, with the adoption of a resolution on 'Global action On patient safety (WHA72.6),' and endorsement of the World Patient Safety Day to be marked annually on 17 September.
Each year, a new theme will be selected to raise awareness and promote positive change around patient safety priority areas. The first World Patient Safety Day theme in 2019 aimed to establish the legacy of the Day, highlighting the importance of prioritizing and addressing patient safety, increasing public engagement in healthcare safety, and promoting global actions to enhance patient safety and reduce patient harm. With the COVID-19 pandemic highlighting the vast challenges health workers are currently facing, the WHO decided that the World Patient Safety Day theme in 2020 should address "Health Worker Safety: A Priority for Patient Safety."
The Saudi Patient Safety Center was established in 2017 as the first of its kind in the region and fulfilling one of the initiatives of the National Transformation Vision 2030. To commemorate the World Patient Safety Day in 2020, SPSC aims to raise national awareness about the importance of health workers' safety as a pre-requisite for patient safety and provide due recognition of health workers' dedication and hard work, particularly amid the current fight against COVID-19. During these unprecedented times, SPSC is engaging collaborations with local authorities and multiple stakeholders, including the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS), Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), Prince Sultan Cardiac Center, RLDatix, G20 Health & Development, and World Health Organization (WHO), to provide a combination of virtual forums and webinar activities, share educational campaign materials with healthcare organizations and illuminate several iconic landmarks in orange as a gesture of respect and gratitude to all health workers.
Page Content