Now is the time to “Speak up for health worker safety!” Working in stressful environments makes health workers more prone to errors which can lead to patient harm.
According to the data released by the World Health Organisation (WHO),
- 134 million adverse events occur each year due to unsafe care in hospitals in low- and middle-income countries, contributing to 2.6 million deaths annually
- 15% of hospital expenses can be attributed to treating patient safety failures in OECD countries
- 4 out of 10 patients are harmed in the primary and ambulatory settings; up to 80% of harm in these settings can be avoided
Moreover, COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled the huge challenges and risks health workers are facing globally including health care associated infections, violence, stigma, psychological and emotional disturbances, illness, and even death.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has themed this year’s World Patient Safety Day “Health Worker Safety: A Priority for Patient Safety”, to recognize patient safety as a global health priority.
While speaking with Stefania Bernardi – Paediatric for Infectious Diseases at Bambino Gesù Paediatric Hospital in Rome, she stated that “Sometimes I feel exhausted after taking off all Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). However, COVID-19 taught me that my own safety is essential for safe patient care.”
We want to use this opportunity to thank all healthcare professionals in our network for all the precious work they do.