Events

World Patient Safety Day 2023 will be observed on 17 September under the theme “Engaging patients for patient safety”, in recognition of the crucial role patients, families and caregivers play in the safety of health care. Evidence shows that when patients are treated as partners in their care, significant gains are made in safety, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes. By becoming active members of the health care team, patients can contribute to the safety of their care and that of the health care system.

Through the slogan “Elevate the voice of patients!”, WHO calls on all stakeholders to take necessary action to ensure that patients are involved in policy formulation, are represented in governance structures, are engaged in co-designing safety strategies, and are active partners in their own care. This can only be achieved by providing platforms and opportunities for diverse patients, families, and communities to raise their voices, concerns, expectations, and preferences to advance safety, patient-centeredness, trustworthiness, and equity.

Patient and family engagement was embedded in Resolution WHA72.6 – “Global action on patient safety” and the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030 as main strategies for moving towards eliminating avoidable harm in health care. World Patient Safety Day is one of WHO’s global public health days. It was established in 2019 by the 72nd World Health Assembly through the adoption of resolution WHA72.6 – “Global action on patient safety”. Its objectives are to increase public awareness and engagement, enhance global understanding, and work towards global solidarity and action by Member States to enhance patient safety and reduce patient harm.

In Ghana, a two-day event, the 5th National Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality Conference shall be held under the theme ‘Engaging patients, their families and communities for patient safety’. 

The objectives of the two-day event are to;

Engage policymakers, health care leaders, health and care workers, patients’ organizations, civil society, and other stakeholders in efforts to engage patients and families in the policies and practices for safe health care.
Empower patients and families to be actively involved in their own health care and in the improvement of the safety of health care.
Raise national awareness of the need for active engagement of patients and their families and caregivers in all settings and at all levels of health care to improve patient safety.
Advocate urgent action on patient and family engagement, aligned with the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030, to be taken by all partners.
Launch Ghana’s National Patient Safety Strategy
We welcome your abstracts for oral presentations, posters, side events and technical marketplace on the following sub-themes;

Governing health systems with patients for patient safety
Legal and regulatory approaches to customer care service   
Partnering with patients for standards of clinical and public health services  
Co-developing and co-implementing patient safety with patients. 
Stay tuned for more updates on the keynote speakers, and the exciting lineup of events. We look forward to your participation and seeing you at the conference!