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  • HEFAMAA deepens public engagement to strengthen confidence in Lagos healthcare system

    HEFAMAA deepens public engagement to strengthen confidence in Lagos healthcare system

    The Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) has stepped up its public sensitisation efforts to build stronger confidence in Lagos State’s healthcare system. By engaging directly with communities, the agency is educating residents on how to identify and patronise only accredited health facilities, thereby promoting safety, accountability, and trust across the state’s health sector.

    Speaking at a sensitisation campaign and town hall meeting held at Apapa Local Government Area on Tuesday, the Permanent Secretary of HEFAMAA, Dr Abiola Idowu, represented by Dr Daniel Olayinka, the Director of Monitoring and Inspection, said the initiative was part of the agency’s commitment to bridging the communication gap between regulators and the public — the ultimate beneficiaries of quality healthcare regulation. Dr Idowu explained that while HEFAMAA had maintained strong engagement with healthcare providers over the years, it had observed a worrying gap in public awareness about its mandate and functions. The agency, she said, realised that many residents still did not know how to distinguish registered health facilities from unlicensed or illegal ones — a situation that could expose them to substandard or unsafe care.

    “We brought members of the community together to explain the roles and responsibilities of the agency, especially our mandate to protect the health and safety of Lagosians. Before we register any health facility, we ensure it meets the minimum operational standards required to provide safe and effective services. This includes proper infrastructure, qualified personnel, and adherence to ethical practices,” she said.

    Dr Idowu emphasised that HEFAMAA’s renewed focus on public sensitisation was driven by the recognition that regulation alone is not enough — residents must also be informed and empowered to make the right health choices. She explained that all registered health facilities in Lagos State are issued a HEFAMAA identification logo, which must be displayed prominently within their premises, alongside a valid registration certificate from the agency. This, she said, serves as visible proof that a facility has been inspected, approved, and is operating within the state’s legal and professional framework.

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    “Whenever you want to access healthcare, look out for the HEFAMAA logo and registration certificate. Once you see these two items, you can be confident that the facility has met our minimum standards for safety and quality. Visiting unregistered centres puts your health and life at serious risk,” she advised.

    As part of efforts to enhance transparency, Idowu announced that Quick Response (QR) codes) are now being affixed to accredited facilities. With this innovation, patients can instantly verify a hospital’s registration status, confirm the services it is authorised to provide, and even send direct feedback to the agency on their healthcare experience. “We act immediately on public feedback. Our goal is not to punish but to ensure that every facility provides safe, ethical, and high-quality care to Lagos residents,” she said.

    She added that HEFAMAA maintains a responsive monitoring and enforcement system that acts swiftly when complaints or red flags are raised by the public. According to her, the agency’s approach prioritises collaboration and improvement over punishment. “Our aim is corrective, not punitive. We only sanction facilities when necessary, but once they meet our standards, they are reinstated,” she explained.

    Citing examples of the agency’s work, Dr Idowu revealed that HEFAMAA had in the past taken disciplinary actions against several facilities that failed to comply with operational standards. One notable case, she said, involved the Lagos Executive Cardiovascular Centre in Lekki, which was demoted from a specialist hospital to a general hospital after failing to meet environmental and structural requirements. The hospital was later reinstated after relocating to a compliant location and fulfilling all prescribed conditions. “This shows that HEFAMAA is not vindictive. Once facilities demonstrate compliance in environment, personnel and equipment, they are fully restored,” she noted.

    The town hall meeting attracted a wide cross-section of stakeholders — including community leaders, health professionals, traditional rulers, and residents — who commended HEFAMAA for bringing its activities closer to the people. Participants described the forum as timely and impactful, especially in a state where private and informal health facilities play a major role in service delivery. Many residents said the interaction helped them understand the importance of checking a facility’s accreditation status before seeking care.

    Dr Idowu reaffirmed that HEFAMAA would continue to organise similar engagements across all 57 Local Government and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State as part of its statewide sensitisation campaign. “Our mission is to ensure that Lagosians have access to safe, affordable, and quality healthcare services. We are taking this message to every community because health regulation is only effective when the people are aware and involved,” she said.

    Participants at the forum emphasised that HEFAMAA’s community outreach initiatives demonstrate that effective health regulation is more than inspection—it thrives on active engagement with the very communities it serves. By equipping residents with knowledge on how to identify accredited health providers, the agency fosters accountability, shared responsibility, and informed decision-making among government institutions, health practitioners, and the public. Stakeholders highlighted that as Lagos rapidly expands and modernis    es its health infrastructure, such grassroots interventions are critical to safeguarding safety and upholding ethical standards. Beyond regulation, HEFAMAA’s approach cultivates trust between the public and health systems, ensuring that residents are not passive recipients but active participants in maintaining quality healthcare. By linking education, monitoring, and community engagement, the agency is creating a model where regulatory oversight and citizen awareness work hand in hand—a strategy experts say is essential for a resilient, equitable, and ethically grounded healthcare ecosystem in Lagos.

  • HEFAMAA takes health regulation, public enlightenment to Lagos communities

    HEFAMAA takes health regulation, public enlightenment to Lagos communities

    Determined to improve healthcare safety and quality, the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) has extended its community engagement campaign to Ajeromi-Ifelodun LCDA—empowering residents with information that could literally save lives. The town hall meeting, with the theme “Strengthening Partnerships for Quality Healthcare Regulation in Lagos State,” brought together traditional leaders, local authorities, and community members to discuss how better regulation can lead to safer and more effective health services.

    HEFAMAA, the agency responsible for accrediting and monitoring both public and private health facilities in Lagos State, stressed the critical role of public awareness in ensuring healthcare standards are upheld. With private providers catering to over 60 percent of Lagosians, regulating this sector is essential—and so is making sure residents know how to identify safe, approved healthcare centres. According to Dr. Abiola Idowu, HEFAMAA’s Executive Secretary (represented by Director of Monitoring and Inspection, Dr. Daniel Olayinka), the outreach aims to bridge the information gap and bring the agency closer to the people it serves.

    “Many residents know little or nothing about the work HEFAMAA is doing to safeguard their health,” Dr. Olayinka noted. “By taking this initiative to local communities, we’re empowering people with the knowledge to make safer choices and demand better care.”

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    One of the key benefits introduced at the event was the launch of a QR code and signage system for all accredited health facilities. These signs, prominently displayed at clinic entrances, allow residents to scan a code and instantly verify whether a facility is government-approved. The system not only increases transparency but also allows users to report poor service or unsafe practices in real time, enabling HEFAMAA to respond swiftly. “It’s a tool for accountability,” Dr. Olayinka explained. “When people know they can verify a facility and provide feedback that leads to action, trust in the health system grows.”

    Community leaders welcomed the campaign, saying it would help reduce the prevalence of unregistered, substandard clinics—a major issue in densely populated areas like Ajeromi-Ifelodun. They praised the agency’s grassroots approach as a step toward strengthening partnerships, rebuilding public trust, and reducing the risks posed by quack practitioners. Beyond regulation, HEFAMAA’s efforts are building a more health-literate public—one that can confidently navigate the healthcare landscape and demand the quality of care they deserve.

  • HEFAMAA seeks global recognition to improve treatment outcomes, patients’ safety

    HEFAMAA seeks global recognition to improve treatment outcomes, patients’ safety

    Dr. Yemisi Solanke-Koya, Chairman of the Lagos State Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) board, has highlighted the vital need for the health accreditation agency to pursue global recognition through the International Society for Quality Healthcare (ISQUA). Doing so, she stated, would offer solutions to the challenges in both public and private health sector, ensure patients’ safety, and enhance healthcare delivery in Lagos State.

     The HEFAMAA board chairman made the disclosure during a stakeholders’ meeting, which focused on reviewing the standards for Acute Care Hospitals in Lagos State, where she emphasised the agency’s commitment to enhancing patients’ safety. Addressing attendees at the event with the  theme: Stakeholder Engagement: Accreditation Standard Review for Acute Care Hospitals, Solanke-Koya underscored HEFAMAA’s pivotal role in setting essential operational standards for both public and private health facilities. According to her, the meeting was premised on how to ensure patients get quality healthcare as the agency is intensifying its efforts in setting the required minimum standards for the operations of health facilities. “In view of the targeted ISQUA recognition, the agency identified the need to meet all relevant stakeholders in the health sector to brainstorm on how to get international accreditation in a way that health providers in the state will be able to embrace the provisions of the accreditation policy.”

     The Commissioner for Health in Lagos State, Prof Akin Abayomi, stressed the importance of developing a strategic plan to improve healthcare quality through setting standards and regulating facilities. The Commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Administration, Medical Training and Programmes in the Lagos Ministry of Health, Dr Funmilayo Sokunbi, said the effort of HEFAMAA in seeking global recognition will lead to better healthcare service delivery across the state.

     While also emphasising the need for accreditation, Dr. Abiola Idowu, the Executive Secretary of HEFAMAA, explained that the agency is meticulously revising the standards for Acute Care Hospitals to align seamlessly with the specific needs of Lagos and Nigeria as a whole, ensuring contextual relevance. She emphasised the significance of adhering to standards, as they facilitate compliance with established rules and regulations. Idowu highlighted the agency’s commitment to external evaluations, such as peer reviews, which contribute to enhancing the quality of care and overall health outcomes. The comprehensive evaluation of Acute Care Hospitals encompasses vital aspects like diagnostic and laboratory services, patient care and safety, hospital infrastructure, and operational procedures, among others.

     “The essence of having standards is to comply with set regulations that will be reviewed by external people, like external peer review that will ensure improvement in the quality of care and improve health outcomes. These standards are going to be targeted at Acute Care Hospitals including diagnostic and laboratory services, patient care, patient safety, hospital structures, and operational processes among others. By this time next year, we are looking at the possibility that we would have submitted this set of standards through the international body, which is the International Society for Quality Healthcare to accredit the standards. We are hoping that these standards would have been accredited. The whole exercise is for international recognition so that we can beat our chest boldly to say we are recognised internationally.

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     “The accreditation process started in 2020 when we realised that outside the responsibility of carrying out monitoring audits, we needed to ensure that the hospitals have the mark of excellence to further assure that citizens of Lagos State are getting quality healthcare from our healthcare facilities. This process is a sign of commitment on the side of the Lagos State Government to ensure that citizens are saved and getting adequate healthcare services. We had earlier engaged foreign companies. After we had done the quality audit and quality insurance landscape, it is now an assessment of the players in the health sector and what we need to do to ensure that there is quality care in Lagos.”

     Dr Idowu highlighted that during the ongoing process, HEFAMAA updated its standards in 2021, marking the first revision since 2006. Given this significant update, the agency sought contributions from distinguished professionals to provide valuable input and critique HEFAMAA’s work. This collaborative effort aimed to ensure a secure healthcare system accessible to all.

     In his overview of the accreditation standard development process, Dr. Olujimi Coker, the Chief Executive Officer of Habevit Healthcare and Chairman of the SQHN Committee, presented alarming statistics. He also outlined the benefits of accreditation, emphasising its role in enhancing overall professional development, knowledge, and competencies in systematic ways. Accreditation, he pointed out, fosters a culture of quality and safety within healthcare systems.

     Dr. Coker cited a study conducted across 26 low and middle-income countries, revealing that the rate of adverse events stands at approximately eight per cent. Disturbingly, 83per cent of these events could have been prevented, and tragically, 30 percent resulted in fatalities. He highlighted the staggering global figures: an estimated 421 million hospitalisations occur worldwide annually, during which 42.7 million adverse events affect patients. Shockingly, two-thirds of these events transpire in low and middle-income countries, leading to 2.6 million deaths each year due to unsafe care.

     Furthermore, Dr. Coker emphasised the economic impact of these incidents. The cost associated with harm, leading to loss of life or permanent disability, significantly affects the capacity and productivity of the patients and their families. This financial toll amounts to trillions of dollars every year. “An estimated 421 million hospitalisations take place in the world annually. Approximately 42.7 million adverse events occur in patients during those hospitalisations. Approximately two-thirds of all adverse events happen in low- and middle-income countries, contributing to 2.6 million deaths annually due to unsafe care. It is estimated that the cost of harm associated with the loss of life or permanent disability, which results in lost capacity and productivity of the affected patients and families, amounts to trillions of US dollars every year. Furthermore, the psychological cost to the patient and their family, associated with losing a loved one or coping with a permanent disability, is significant though more difficult to measure,” he said.

     The CEO of Habevit Healthcare further emphasised  the vital role of regulation, ensuring the attainment of minimum acceptable standards, enhancing performance, quality, and accountability at both individual and organisational levels. He outlined the numerous advantages of accreditation, such as identifying strengths and areas needing improvement in programmes and processes. Accreditation also encourages communication and empowers staff within organisations, leading to enhanced professional development, knowledge, and competencies in systematic ways, he added. Furthermore, it cultivates a culture of quality and safety, enhancing organisational learning, staff effectiveness, and patient outcomes. Additionally, accreditation mitigates risks and liability costs, reduces variation, improves efficiency, and lowers expenses. Importantly, it instills confidence in the community regarding the healthcare organisation’s services.

  • HEFAMAA seeks global recognition to improve treatment outcomes, patients’ safety

    HEFAMAA seeks global recognition to improve treatment outcomes, patients’ safety

    Dr. Yemisi Solanke-Koya, Chairman of the Lagos State Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) board, has highlighted the vital need for the health accreditation agency to pursue global recognition through the International Society for Quality Healthcare (ISQUA). Doing so, she stated, would offer solutions to the challenges in both public and private health sector, ensure patients’ safety, and enhance healthcare delivery in Lagos State.

     The HEFAMAA board chairman made the disclosure during a stakeholders’ meeting, which focused on reviewing the standards for Acute Care Hospitals in Lagos State, where she emphasised the agency’s commitment to enhancing patients’ safety. Addressing attendees at the event with the  theme: Stakeholder Engagement: Accreditation Standard Review for Acute Care Hospitals, Solanke-Koya underscored HEFAMAA’s pivotal role in setting essential operational standards for both public and private health facilities. According to her, the meeting was premised on how to ensure patients get quality healthcare as the agency is intensifying its efforts in setting the required minimum standards for the operations of health facilities. “In view of the targeted ISQUA recognition, the agency identified the need to meet all relevant stakeholders in the health sector to brainstorm on how to get international accreditation in a way that health providers in the state will be able to embrace the provisions of the accreditation policy.”

     The Commissioner for Health in Lagos State, Prof Akin Abayomi, stressed the importance of developing a strategic plan to improve healthcare quality through setting standards and regulating facilities. The Commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Administration, Medical Training and Programmes in the Lagos Ministry of Health, Dr Funmilayo Sokunbi, said the effort of HEFAMAA in seeking global recognition will lead to better healthcare service delivery across the state.

     While also emphasising the need for accreditation, Dr. Abiola Idowu, the Executive Secretary of HEFAMAA, explained that the agency is meticulously revising the standards for Acute Care Hospitals to align seamlessly with the specific needs of Lagos and Nigeria as a whole, ensuring contextual relevance. She emphasised the significance of adhering to standards, as they facilitate compliance with established rules and regulations. Idowu highlighted the agency’s commitment to external evaluations, such as peer reviews, which contribute to enhancing the quality of care and overall health outcomes. The comprehensive evaluation of Acute Care Hospitals encompasses vital aspects like diagnostic and laboratory services, patient care and safety, hospital infrastructure, and operational procedures, among others.

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     “The essence of having standards is to comply with set regulations that will be reviewed by external people, like external peer review that will ensure improvement in the quality of care and improve health outcomes. These standards are going to be targeted at Acute Care Hospitals including diagnostic and laboratory services, patient care, patient safety, hospital structures, and operational processes among others. By this time next year, we are looking at the possibility that we would have submitted this set of standards through the international body, which is the International Society for Quality Healthcare to accredit the standards. We are hoping that these standards would have been accredited. The whole exercise is for international recognition so that we can beat our chest boldly to say we are recognised internationally.

     “The accreditation process started in 2020 when we realised that outside the responsibility of carrying out monitoring audits, we needed to ensure that the hospitals have the mark of excellence to further assure that citizens of Lagos State are getting quality healthcare from our healthcare facilities. This process is a sign of commitment on the side of the Lagos State Government to ensure that citizens are saved and getting adequate healthcare services. We had earlier engaged foreign companies. After we had done the quality audit and quality insurance landscape, it is now an assessment of the players in the health sector and what we need to do to ensure that there is quality care in Lagos.”

     Dr Idowu highlighted that during the ongoing process, HEFAMAA updated its standards in 2021, marking the first revision since 2006. Given this significant update, the agency sought contributions from distinguished professionals to provide valuable input and critique HEFAMAA’s work. This collaborative effort aimed to ensure a secure healthcare system accessible to all.

     In his overview of the accreditation standard development process, Dr. Olujimi Coker, the Chief Executive Officer of Habevit Healthcare and Chairman of the SQHN Committee, presented alarming statistics. He also outlined the benefits of accreditation, emphasising its role in enhancing overall professional development, knowledge, and competencies in systematic ways. Accreditation, he pointed out, fosters a culture of quality and safety within healthcare systems.

     Dr. Coker cited a study conducted across 26 low and middle-income countries, revealing that the rate of adverse events stands at approximately eight per cent. Disturbingly, 83per cent of these events could have been prevented, and tragically, 30 percent resulted in fatalities. He highlighted the staggering global figures: an estimated 421 million hospitalisations occur worldwide annually, during which 42.7 million adverse events affect patients. Shockingly, two-thirds of these events transpire in low and middle-income countries, leading to 2.6 million deaths each year due to unsafe care.

     Furthermore, Dr. Coker emphasised the economic impact of these incidents. The cost associated with harm, leading to loss of life or permanent disability, significantly affects the capacity and productivity of the patients and their families. This financial toll amounts to trillions of dollars every year. “An estimated 421 million hospitalisations take place in the world annually. Approximately 42.7 million adverse events occur in patients during those hospitalisations. Approximately two-thirds of all adverse events happen in low- and middle-income countries, contributing to 2.6 million deaths annually due to unsafe care. It is estimated that the cost of harm associated with the loss of life or permanent disability, which results in lost capacity and productivity of the affected patients and families, amounts to trillions of US dollars every year. Furthermore, the psychological cost to the patient and their family, associated with losing a loved one or coping with a permanent disability, is significant though more difficult to measure,” he said.

     The CEO of Habevit Healthcare further emphasised  the vital role of regulation, ensuring the attainment of minimum acceptable standards, enhancing performance, quality, and accountability at both individual and organisational levels. He outlined the numerous advantages of accreditation, such as identifying strengths and areas needing improvement in programmes and processes. Accreditation also encourages communication and empowers staff within organisations, leading to enhanced professional development, knowledge, and competencies in systematic ways, he added. Furthermore, it cultivates a culture of quality and safety, enhancing organisational learning, staff effectiveness, and patient outcomes. Additionally, accreditation mitigates risks and liability costs, reduces variation, improves efficiency, and lowers expenses. Importantly, it instills confidence in the community regarding the healthcare organisation’s services.

  • Unethical conduct

    Unethical conduct

    • Lagos govt in order for closing down hospital that transfused unscreened blood

    The closure of a private hospital located in Ago-Okota, Oshodi-Isolo Local Council Area of Lagos State, for engaging in unhealthy and unwholesome practice of collecting and transfusing unscreened blood to unsuspecting patients, raises a public health concern in that sector. The Executive Secretary of Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS), Dr Bodunrin Osikomaiya, stated: “Following the tip off, and after thorough investigations, the enforcement teams of LSBTS and HEFAMAA, during their joint monitoring exercise in the area, visited the facility and confirmed to be true, the unwholesome, unprofessional and unethical medical practices and conduct of the hospital management.” 

    We hope this discovery would wake-up the two organisations to engage in robust monitoring of hospitals that offer blood transfusion in the state. Presently, there is insignificant presence of LSBTS and State Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) with regards to efficient blood transfusion facilities across the states, and many hospitals lack the basic facilities required for testing blood before transfusion. Patients admitted into hospitals find it difficult to access blood as a matter of routine, and when blood transfusion is needed urgently, the cost and access become excruciating.

    So, we commend the action of LSBTS and HEFAMAA considering the health implications of the action of the hospital. According to Dr Osikomaiya, the “facility was sealed for contravening the provision of the Blood Transfusion Service law, specifically, law 10, item 31, which states that no person within Lagos State shall transfuse blood into a patient unless such blood has been screened, tested, labelled by the state blood transfusion committee, and found to be negative for all transmissible diseases including HIV I and II, Hepatitis B and C, Syphilis and any other disease as may be deemed necessary by LSBTS,”    

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    We agree that it is extremely dangerous to transfuse unscreened blood into a patient. As Dr Osikomaiya noted, the health implications are far-reaching, as the patient could get exposed to diseases far more complicated and challenging than the reason for which he/she came to the hospital. Imagine if a pregnant woman who merely has shortage of blood is transfused with unscreened blood and she becomes infested with HIV I or II, or Hepatitis B or C, or Syphilis or any other communicable disease. Again, imagine that an accident victim could suffer similar faith, which will further compound the challenge.

    So, we ask for a robust blood transfusion programme in the health sector. The hospitals, whether primary, general or tertiary, should inculcate blood banks as part of their services. Such blood banks should also be available for private hospitals to access. Where such services exist, private hospitals would have less temptation to engage in unwholesome practices. Where private hospitals wish to invest in blood banks, the LSBTS and HEFAMAA must ensure that they meet high standards, including the capacity to screen bloods saved in their blood banks before it is sold to the public.  

    Nigerians are not properly educated about the need to regularly donate blood, perhaps because of the mistrust of government institutions. We urge the creation of strong social awareness on the need to donate blood. But the trust would only come if there is transparency in handling donated blood.

    Again, government should encourage private institutions and bodies to build and manage blood banks as social investment. To achieve that, the statistical needs of the state with respect to blood must be in the public domain.

    While dealing with infractions as happened to the hospital in Ago-Okota, is essential to maintain public health, the more important challenge is the provision of blood banks for patients to have access to screened, safe blood. Where a gap exists, patients and their beloved ones would be tempted to patronise unsafe sources.

  • HEFAMAA urges health professionals to prioritise patients’ safety

    HEFAMAA urges health professionals to prioritise patients’ safety

    The Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) has issued a compelling call to action for stakeholders in the healthcare sector to prioritise patient safety. Dr. Abiola Idowu, the Executive Secretary of HEFAMAA, delivered this message during the commemoration of the 2023 World Patients’ Safety Day, which carried the theme “Engaging Patients for Patient Safety” and took place in Lagos.

     Dr. Idowu underscored the urgency of the matter by sharing alarming statistics on patient safety. She revealed that globally, an estimated one to three trillion dollars is lost annually, and 2.6 million lives are lost due to unsafe healthcare practices. Furthermore, she disclosed that a staggering 134 million patients suffer adverse effects from inadequate care. Dr. Idowu emphasized that this issue becomes even more critical when examined in the context of developing countries, including Nigeria. The Executive Secretary highlighted the significance of World Patients’ Safety Day and called upon all stakeholders to take concrete actions to enhance patient safety. She reaffirmed HEFAMAA’s commitment to consistently promote patient safety within healthcare facilities across Lagos.

     Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, reiterated the government’s unwavering dedication to patient safety. He emphasized that the occasion reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing accessible, equitable, and high-quality healthcare services to patients in the state. Dr. Agbolagoriite, representing the Permanent Secretary, noted that the event served as a call for individuals to actively engage in their healthcare journeys, while healthcare professionals focus on fostering literacy and accountability.

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    Dr. Yemisi Solanke-Koya, Chairman of the HEFAMAA Board, emphasized the importance of involving the community in patient safety initiatives. She highlighted how this engagement broadens communication channels and offers unique insights into patients’ perspectives on their healthcare choices. “In reality, it is the patient’s ailment which the medical field seeks to treat and treat successfully. Therefore, who has a primary and paramount interest in that agenda? Certainly, the patient and by extension their families and caregivers have a supreme interest. The patients desire a full recovery to pursue life to their fullest capacity without the limitation of poor health or any further compounding by incidents arising from the lack of attention to patient safety. Consequently, patients must be engaged throughout the totality of the healthcare terrain,” she said.

     Solanke-Koya stated that this encouraged deeper patient appreciation of what is ailing them and fosters their compliance, saying that a well-informed and engaged patient is more inclined to adhere to the protocol of care, adding that, it is a win-win situation for the field of medicine as patient compliance might translate to better outcomes and health indices for Lagos State and indeed the country. “Furthermore, engaging the patient community in patient safety initiatives broadens the channels of communication and provides insight into the unique perspective of patients regarding their healthcare options. This encourages dialogue, improves clinician-patient relationships, elevates the voice of the patients, and expands the sphere of pertinent views.

     “It is incumbent on me to stress that patient safety is not an isolated concept occurring sporadically or intermittently during one clinic or hospital visit for a single patient only, to be reactivated, if at all, for the next patient on their visit. Rather it is a continuous continuum, and an indispensable overarching paradigm that must be permanently embedded in the microfibers of the fabric of healthcare towards ensuring the welfare of Lagosians,” she added.

     Dr. Adesola Olalekan, who delivered, “Engaging Patients for Patient Safety. Elevate the Voice of Patient,” said to e sure patient safety, the WHO Flagship initiative, “A Decade of Patient Safety 2021–2030,” must be pursued.

     He said the goal is “to achieve the maximum possible reduction in avoidable harm due to unsafe health care globally”, envisioning “a world in which no one is harmed in health care, and every patient receives safe and respectful care, every time, everywhere.”