By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko
The Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, has emphasised that a strong focus on patient safety is vital for strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Otegbayo said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ibadan, in commemoration of the 2025 World Patient Safety Day, observed every Sept. 17 globally.
NAN reports that 2025 theme is “Safe care for every newborn and every child,” with the slogan “Patient safety from the start,” focusing on quality care for vulnerable children and infants.
Otegbayo stressed that prioritising patient safety would help build efficient healthcare systems capable of handling complexities, preventing errors, saving lives, reducing costs, and ultimately improving patient outcomes across all healthcare settings.
He noted that patient safety contributed to better health outcomes and faster recovery, while fostering accountability and trust among patients, families, and healthcare providers within Nigeria’s health sector.
According to him, many injuries and deaths result from unsafe care, which is often preventable.
The goal of patient safety, he added, was to avoid harm caused by medical errors.
The CMD called for national patient safety policies and increased healthcare funding.
He urged government intervention to empower patients, ensured clinical quality, and fostered community participation in healthcare governance.
He emphasised the role of public-private partnerships in modernising hospital infrastructure and tackling challenges like inadequate funding, poor governance structures, and internal conflicts within the health sector.
Otegbayo noted that patients, caregivers, and healthcare workers all had crucial roles in ensuring safety, including sharing accurate information and collaborating closely to support patients’ recovery and health monitoring.
He advised Nigerians to avoid self-medication and adhere strictly to prescriptions.
He also encouraged proper hygiene, a clean environment, and a well-balanced diet as vital to preventive healthcare.
The CMD highlighted UCH’s commitment to safety by minimising adverse events, reducing hospital stay durations, and lowering the financial burden on both patients and the healthcare system at large.
According to him, UCH promotes hygiene and patient safety through its Health and Safety Committee and departmental focal points, ensuring that safe practices reach every part of the hospital.
“UCH engages patients in their care, respects their preferences, and ensures informed consent.
“We promote teamwork, reduce safety incidents, and provide ongoing training in areas like infection prevention and medication safety,” he said.
He added that the hospital also emphasised effective communication protocols among healthcare teams, as this helped to reduce medical errors and ensured better coordination in patient management and treatment.
Otegbayo said World Patient Safety Day was an opportunity to raise awareness, mobilise global action, and strengthen collaboration between healthcare stakeholders to improve care and prevent avoidable harm.
He stressed that 2025 theme reflected the vulnerability of children and newborns to risks caused by unsafe care, and the urgent need to protect them through systemic improvements.
“The campaign continues efforts like safe childbirth, medication safety, and diagnostic safety.
“We must affirm every child’s right to receive safe, high-quality care, from the moment of birth,” he said.
He outlined the 2025 objectives: raising awareness about risks in paediatric care, empowering parents and caregivers, and encouraging education and active participation in safe healthcare delivery across all regions.
“Let’s partner with the WHO to promote Safe Care for Every Newborn and Every Child. ‘Patient Safety from the Start’ should be our collective mission,” Otegbayo urged Nigerians.
Meanwhile, a patient, Mr Olusola Kehinde, decried the shortage of doctors in hospitals and called on all levels of government to improve staffing, healthcare worker welfare, and sector-wide infrastructure.
“You spend hours waiting to see a doctor. Treatment and medication costs are high due to the harsh economic situation. It’s becoming unaffordable,” he lamented.
A nursing mother, Mrs Victoria Chukwu, also complained about the rising cost of maternal care.
She said Caesarean Section (CS) now costs about N500,000 in some private hospitals in Nigeria.
“Due to high living costs, hospitals can’t always provide medication. Patients are asked to buy them outside.
“Patient safety must start with better economic policies and support for hospitals,” she said.(NAN)
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