Author: Sarah Daniel
Every interaction with the healthcare system should improve a patient’s health; not expose them to preventable harm. Yet, patient safety is not only a moral and clinical priority; it is a measurable global health challenge. The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 10 patients worldwide experience harm in healthcare settings, and in low- and middle-income countries, up to 134 million[3] adverse events occur in hospitals each year, contributing to significant loss of life and disability. In Nigeria, strengthening patient safety is essential not only for improving health outcomes but also for building public trust in the healthcare system and achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).[3]
Patient safety is more than preventing medical errors; it involves creating systems, processes, and a culture that consistently protect patients from avoidable harm throughout their healthcare journey.[5]
What Is Patient Safety?
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines patient safety as the prevention of errors and adverse effects associated with healthcare, with the goal of reducing unnecessary harm to patients to the lowest possible level.[2]
Patient safety includes ensuring the correct diagnosis, safe medication practices, infection prevention and control, safe surgery, effective communication among healthcare workers, accurate patient identification, and continuous learning from incidents to prevent future harm.[2]
Why Patient Safety Matters
Unsafe care is a major global public health challenge. According to the WHO, globally, approximately 1 in every 10 patients is harmed while receiving healthcare, and more than half of these adverse events are preventable (2024) [2]. In low and middle-income countries, unsafe care contributes to an estimated 134 million adverse events each year, resulting in approximately 2.6 million deaths.[2]
Beyond the human cost, unsafe care places enormous financial pressure on health systems through prolonged hospital stays, additional treatments, disability, loss of productivity, and avoidable litigation.[2]
Patient Safety Challenges in Nigeria
Nigeria continues to face several systemic challenges that affect patient safety. These challenges include:
Healthcare Workforce Constraints
Healthcare workers remain the backbone of safe care delivery. However, shortages of skilled professionals, increasing workloads, burnout, and the migration of health workers (“brain drain”) continue to place significant pressure on the Nigerian health system. These challenges increase the likelihood of communication breakdowns, delayed care, and preventable errors.[3]
Healthcare-Associated Infections
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a significant concern in many healthcare settings. Limited access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, inconsistent infection prevention and control (IPC) practices, and inadequate resources can increase patients’ risk of acquiring infections during treatment.[2]
Medication Errors
Medication errors (including prescribing, dispensing, administration, or dosage mistakes) remain among the most common patient safety incidents globally.[2] Factors such as illegible prescriptions, look-alike or sound-alike medicines, inadequate patient counselling, and weak reporting systems contribute to preventable harm.
Infrastructure and Equipment Challenges
Reliable electricity, functional medical equipment, adequate laboratory services, and timely access to essential medicines are fundamental to safe healthcare delivery. Gaps in infrastructure and resource availability can compromise patient safety, particularly during emergency and surgical care.[3]
Limited Incident Reporting
A strong patient safety culture encourages healthcare workers to report errors and near misses without fear of blame. However, under-reporting remains a challenge in many settings, limiting opportunities to learn from incidents and strengthen healthcare systems.[1]
Signs of Progress in Nigeria
Despite these challenges, Nigeria is making important strides towards improving patient safety.
Strengthening Infection Prevention and Control
Following the COVID-19 pandemic and previous infectious disease outbreaks such as Ebola, Nigeria has placed greater emphasis on strengthening infection prevention and control (IPC) across the health sector. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has expanded national IPC programmes by developing guidelines, supporting healthcare worker training, strengthening healthcare-associated infection surveillance, and promoting hand hygiene and antimicrobial stewardship in healthcare facilities.[4] These efforts are intended to improve the capacity of health facilities to prevent and respond to infectious disease threats, although implementation and resource availability continue to vary across different parts of the country.[4,5]
Expanding Quality Improvement Initiatives
Healthcare institutions across Nigeria are increasingly adopting structured quality improvement approaches to enhance patient safety and the quality of care. For example, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare launched the National Patient Safety and Care Quality Policy & Implementation Strategy 2024, providing a national framework to strengthen patient safety governance, incident reporting, medication safety, infection prevention and control, and patient engagement across healthcare facilities.[5]
In addition, recent assessments of public primary healthcare facilities have shown continued implementation of Nigeria’s Minimum Standards for Primary Healthcare, with facilities undergoing quality assessments to identify gaps and guide targeted improvements in service delivery, governance, infrastructure, and patient care. These initiatives are helping to institutionalise quality improvement and strengthen patient safety across the health system.[6]
Digital Health and Better Information Systems
The gradual expansion of electronic health records, digital reporting systems, and health information technologies has improved documentation, communication, and continuity of care in many healthcare settings. These innovations can reduce medication errors, improve clinical decision-making, and enhance patient safety when implemented effectively.[2]
Growing Global Commitment
Globally, patient safety has received unprecedented attention through the WHO Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030, which provides a roadmap for countries to strengthen safety policies, engage patients, improve workforce competencies, and establish learning systems.[3] The WHO’s Global Patient Safety Report 2024 found that while many countries (including those in Africa) are making progress, significant gaps remain in financing, patient engagement, and implementation of national patient safety strategies.[1]
The Role of Patients and Families
Patient safety is a shared responsibility. Patients and their families play an important role by:
- Asking questions about their diagnosis and treatment.
- Confirming their identity before receiving medication or procedures.
- Informing healthcare providers about allergies and existing medical conditions.
- Understanding prescribed medications and how to take them correctly.
- Speaking up when something seems unclear or unsafe.
Healthcare providers should foster an environment where patients feel respected, informed, and empowered to participate in decisions about their care.[1]
Patient Safety Begins with Trust and Knowing Your Rights
Patient safety is built on a partnership between healthcare providers and patients. That partnership can only thrive where there is trust, open communication, and mutual respect. While healthcare professionals have a responsibility to provide safe, high-quality care, patients also play an important role by understanding their rights and actively participating in decisions about their health.[7]
Recognising this, Nigeria introduced the National Patients’ Bill of Rights (NPBR) to promote patient-centred care and strengthen accountability across the health system. The Bill affirms every patient’s right to receive safe, respectful, and quality healthcare; to be treated with dignity and without discrimination; to receive clear information about their diagnosis and treatment options; to provide informed consent before treatment; to privacy and confidentiality; and to express concerns or seek redress without fear of intimidation or retaliation.[7]
When patients know their rights, they are more likely to ask questions, report concerns, verify medications, and participate in decisions about their care. Likewise, healthcare providers who communicate openly, encourage feedback, and respond transparently to safety concerns create environments where trust can flourish and preventable harm is reduced. [7]
Ultimately, patient safety is not achieved by policies alone; it is strengthened through everyday actions that demonstrate transparency, accountability, and respect. Every conversation, every informed decision, and every effort to listen to patients contributes to a safer and more trusted healthcare system.[7]
The Way Forward
Improving patient safety in Nigeria requires coordinated action from government, healthcare institutions, professional bodies, healthcare workers, patients, and development partners.
Priority actions include strengthening patient safety policies, improving healthcare financing, investing in health workforce development, expanding incident reporting and learning systems, improving infection prevention and control, promoting medication safety, and leveraging digital technologies to support safer care.
Equally important is fostering a culture of transparency and continuous learning; one where healthcare workers can report mistakes without fear of punishment and where lessons from adverse events lead to lasting system improvements rather than individual blame.
Our Commitment
At Ducit Blue Solutions (DBS), we do not only advocate for safer healthcare—we actively work to make it happen. We strengthen trust in health systems by equipping stakeholders with evidence-based knowledge, practical tools, and actionable insights that improve decision-making and patient outcomes.
Through targeted knowledge exchange, capacity strengthening, strategic partnerships, and public health education, we design and deliver solutions that close gaps in communication, improve clinical practice, and enhance accountability across the health system. We work directly with health professionals, policymakers, researchers, and communities to translate evidence into practice and ensure that patient safety is not just discussed, but implemented.
Conclusion
Patient safety is not an optional component of healthcare; it is the foundation of quality care. Every preventable error represents an opportunity to strengthen systems, improve clinical practice, and protect lives.
As Nigeria continues its journey towards Universal Health Coverage, investing in patient safety will not only save lives but also improve public confidence, reduce healthcare costs, and ensure that healthcare truly delivers on its promise to heal rather than harm.
References
- World Health Organization. Global Patient Safety Report 2024. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240095458
- World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/patient-safety
- World Health Organization. Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030. https://www.who.int/teams/integrated-health-services/patient-safety/policy/global-patient-safety-action-plan
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC). National Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Programme. https://ncdc.gov.ng
- Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare – Hospital Services Policy (National Patient Safety and Care Quality Policy & Implementation Strategy 2024). https://health.gov.ng/hospital-services-policy
- Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation – Nigeria Healthcare Quality Improvement (NHQI) Project. https://hsdf.org.ng/nigeria-healthcare-quality-improvement
- Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). National Patients’ Bill of Rights (NPBR). 2025. https://fccpc.gov.ng/national-patients-bill-of-rights/