WHO calls for safer healthcare for people with chronic diseases

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged African countries to improve patient safety for people living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, made this appeal on Thursday. He spoke during a message for World Patient Safety Day 2026. The theme this year is "Safe care for noncommunicable diseases", with the slogan "Safe care for life!"

NCDs are diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and chronic respiratory diseases.

"For a person living with diabetes, cancer, heart disease, or a chronic respiratory condition, health care is rarely a single encounter," he said.

"It may involve years of consultations, tests, medicines, referrals, and treatment. Each interaction should improve health, yet each can also expose a patient to avoidable harm."

Mr Janabi shared that NCDs caused at least 43 million deaths worldwide in 2021. They made up 37 percent of all deaths in the WHO African Region in 2019.

He mentioned that this percentage rose from 24 percent in 2000. "Nearly two-thirds of NCD deaths in the Region are premature compared with 41.7 percent globally," he added.

WHO noted that NCDs also lead to long-term disabilities and loss of function in the region.

"Their growing burden is linked to risk factors including unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, hypertension, obesity, and air pollution," he pointed out.

Mr Janabi explained that patients with NCDs can face harm due to delayed or missed diagnoses, medication errors, bad drug interactions, poor follow-up, and lack of communication when switching between health services.

He highlighted that risks can happen at different stages of care, such as diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, palliative care, and self-management.

He also mentioned that stigma, discrimination, and difficulties in accessing essential medicines and health technologies can increase risks for patients.

"Expanding access to NCD services must, therefore, go hand in hand with improving their safety and quality," Mr Janabi stated.

He further explained that stronger primary healthcare could improve continuity of care. It can help identify health problems earlier and coordinate services across various levels of the health system.

He called for health workers to receive practical guidance, reliable supplies, and supportive work environments where they can report errors without fear of blame.

He urged African countries to include patient safety in NCD policies and programs. They should also strengthen systems for reporting and learning from harm and invest in training health workers on safe medicine and technology use.

Mr Janabi encouraged patients and their families to ask questions and raise concerns whenever something about their care is unclear.

"Every person should be protected from avoidable harm throughout their health journey," he said.