By Saminu Ibrahim
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, has called on governments, health workers, patients and partners to strengthen patient safety for people living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
Janabi made the call in his message to mark the 2026 World Patient Safety Day, observed under the theme, “Safe care for noncommunicable diseases”, with the slogan, “Safe care for life!”
He said people living with conditions such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and chronic respiratory diseases often require years of consultations, tests, medicines, referrals and treatment, exposing them to potential avoidable harm at different stages of care.
According to him, NCDs caused at least 43 million deaths globally in 2021, while they accounted for 37 per cent of all deaths in the WHO African Region in 2019, compared with 24 per cent in 2000.
He noted that nearly two-thirds of NCD deaths in Africa were premature, compared with 41.7 per cent globally, adding that the diseases were also major causes of long-term disability and loss of function.
Janabi identified unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, hypertension, obesity and air pollution among the factors driving the increasing burden of NCDs.
He warned that patients could suffer harm through delayed or missed diagnoses, medication errors, adverse drug interactions, poor follow-up and inadequate communication when moving between healthcare providers and facilities.
He said the risks could occur during diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, palliative care and self-management, and could be worsened by stigma, discrimination and limited access to essential medicines and medical technologies.
The WHO official therefore stressed that expanding access to NCD services must be accompanied by improvements in the safety and quality of care.
According to him, strong primary healthcare systems can ensure continuity of care, facilitate early identification of health problems and improve coordination across different levels of the health system.
He also called for practical guidance, reliable supplies and supportive working environments for health workers, where errors can be reported and used to improve services without fear of blame.
Janabi said countries in the African Region were expanding integrated NCD services through initiatives such as WHO PEN at primary healthcare level and PEN-Plus at first-level referral facilities.
He explained that the approaches bring diagnosis, treatment and long-term care closer to communities while promoting safer services through evidence-based treatment protocols, clear referral pathways and regular monitoring.
The Regional Director also urged patients and families to become active partners in improving healthcare safety.
“Listening to their experience, communicating clearly and involving them in decisions can prevent harm and improve treatment outcomes,” he said.
Janabi urged Member States to integrate patient safety into NCD policies and programmes, strengthen systems for reporting and learning from harm, and invest in health worker training, supportive supervision and the safe use of medicines and technologies.
He further called on health professionals to adhere to evidence-based protocols and maintain open communication with patients and colleagues.
He advised patients and families to ask questions, speak up and raise concerns whenever any aspect of their care was unclear.
Janabi reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to supporting African countries in strengthening primary healthcare, improving the quality and safety of NCD services, and ensuring that patients’ and families’ experiences inform the design and delivery of healthcare.
He said every person should be protected from avoidable harm throughout their health journey, adding that stronger patient-safety systems would help reduce preventable harm and build public trust in healthcare services.
