Hanoi (VNA)🌳 - Healthexperts called for improving patient safety at medical facilities at a meetingheld in Hanoi on September 17 by theMedical Services under the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisationon the occasion of World Patient Safety Day (September 17).

“Patient safety is regarded as an essential element of universal healthcoverage and has become a global health priority,” said WHO Health SystemCoordinator Momoe Takeuchi at the meeting. “Safer care reduces the need foradditional treatment or extended hospital stays, the burden of litigation andcosts of long-term care occurring due to injury or disability. Safer care canalso improve trust in the healthcare system and enable patients to seek oftencrucial healthcare promptly,” said Takeuchi. She added that patient safety failures are among the 10leading causes of death and disability in the world. Most of these deaths and disabilityare avoidable. Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said that the health ministry issued circular 43 in2018 on “Guidelines to prevention of medical adverse incidents in healthcarefacilities” for improving patient safety at medical facilities nationwide witha focus on safe use of medicine, surgical safety, control of hospital infectionand reducing risks. Son also called on improving awareness on patient safetyand commitment to building a safety culture and friendly environment forpatients at health facilities nationwide. Organised for the first time in Vietnam, the event aims tostrengthen awareness of health workers and community on patient safety in the country. With the slogan “Speak up for patient safety”, it targets healthcaremanagers to create enabling environments where healthcare staff can speak upfor patient safety, comply, and gradually adopt the culture of patient safety./.