The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, says unsafe diagnosis, medication errors, poor communication and fragmented care can cause significant harm to patients living with non-communicable diseases, NCDs.
Mr Pate said this on Thursday in Abuja at a news conference to commemorate the 2026 World Patient Safety Day, themed “Safe Care for Non-Communicable Diseases,” with the slogan, “Safe Care for Life!”
He said the risks were particularly significant for patients requiring long-term care, as they often depended on multiple services, providers and treatments throughout their healthcare journey and management.
“Safe NCD care therefore requires strong health systems, competent and supported health workers, continuity and coordination of care, and meaningful involvement of patients in decisions concerning their health,” he said.
Mr Pate said NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, constituted a major health burden and often required prolonged interaction with the health system nationwide.
He said such interactions created safety risks across prevention, diagnosis, treatment, referral, follow-up and long-term management, making patient safety fundamental to quality and effective healthcare delivery.
The minister said the ministry developed the National Patient Safety and Care Quality Policy and Implementation Strategy in 2024 to strengthen standards and improve healthcare outcomes nationwide.
He said the ministry further strengthened its commitment in January by establishing and inaugurating the National Task Force on Clinical Governance and Patient Safety across the country.
According to him, the task force is mandated to strengthen systems and structures required to institutionalise clinical governance and patient safety across Nigeria’s healthcare facilities and services.
He added that the task force was developing a National Framework on Clinical Governance and Patient Safety to provide direction for strengthening accountability, quality improvement and monitoring.
The minister said a strong clinical governance system must promote a “Just Culture,” where healthcare professionals could report incidents, near misses and safety concerns without fear.
“Our health institutions must have functional clinical governance and patient safety structures, effective incident reporting and learning systems, evidence-based clinical standards, quality improvement processes and regular performance reviews.
“Patient and family engagement must consequently remain central to our patient safety efforts, ensuring individuals participate actively in decisions concerning treatment, care plans and health outcomes.
“Patients should be treated with dignity and respect, adequately informed about their conditions and treatment options, and encouraged to participate meaningfully in decisions concerning their care.”
Mr Pate urged stakeholders to recognise patient safety as a continuous commitment to improving healthcare quality rather than limiting efforts to an annual observance and commemoration.
The minister said the goal was to ensure that no Nigerian was harmed while seeking or receiving healthcare services across the country’s health institutions and facilities.
The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Ms Daju Kachollom, said the theme highlighted the continuing healthcare journey of people living with chronic conditions and illnesses.
Kachollom said patients with hypertension, diabetes, cancer or chronic respiratory diseases might require screening, diagnosis, medication, follow-up, referrals and monitoring across different parts of the health system.
She said patient safety involved building safety into how care was designed, delivered and experienced through appropriate standards, supported health workers and stronger referral pathways.
“A strong health system is not simply one that expands access; it is one that people can trust to provide care that is safe, effective, people-centred and continuous,” she said.
