“Health”: The global praise of Egypt’s success in the safety of patients is a testimony to adhere to safety standards
Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development, Minister of Health and Population, witnessed the celebration of the “World Patient Safety Day for the year 2025”, organized by the Ministry of Health and Population in cooperation with the General Authority for Accreditation and Health Supervision (GAHAR), and the World Health Organization office in Egypt, under the slogan “Safety of Patients from the beginning”, in the presence of Dr. Mohamed Awad Taj Al -Din, Advisor to the President of the Republic for Health and Prevention, Dr. Ashraf Hatem, Chairman of the Health Affairs Committee in the Council Representatives, Dr. Ahmed Taha, Chairman of the General Authority for Accreditation and Health Supervision, Dr. Naama Abed, representative of the World Health Organization in Egypt, along with a number of ministry leaders, members of the House of Representatives, representatives of health bodies and international organizations.
In his speech, Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar expressed his pride in what the Egyptian state has achieved in the field of patient safety, noting that the recent World Health Organization report devoted a full chapter to praise its experience in integrating safety standards within the course of comprehensive health reform, and the praise considered an international success certificate confirming the Egyptian vision to build a healthy system based on quality and safety.
World Patient Safety Day
The minister pointed out that the slogan of the celebration this year is “safe care for every baby from the first moment” reflects the state’s commitment to providing safe health care for the mother and the newborn, confirming the ministry’s implementation of a comprehensive national plan based on 4 main axes: institutional and legislative construction, the development of human cadres, the launch of applied initiatives, and the foresight of research and innovation.
He pointed to a major legislative achievement by issuing the law regulating medical responsibility and patient safety for the year 2025, which is a qualitative shift in the health system; Where it balances the protection of patients ’rights and ensuring a safe environment for service providers, and establishes a fair culture that encourages reporting errors with the aim of learning and continuous improvement instead of punishment, as well as the establishment of the General Administration for Patient Safety, and the Supreme Committee for the Quality of Care and the Safety of Patients, in coordinating efforts and unifying standards through health bodies at the level of the Republic.
In the context of capacity building, the minister stated that more than 21 thousand and 600 trainees from various specializations on the concepts of patient safety and risk management, in addition to launching a professional diploma for patient safety and managing health care risks, in cooperation with the Egyptian Health Council, the General Authority for Accreditation and Health Supervision, and the World Health Organization; To become the first national program approved to qualify the specialized cadres in this field.
The application of the “Patient Safety Hospitals” initiative in cooperation with the World Health Organization, which resulted in the adoption of 3 Egyptian health facilities as hospitals friendly for patient safety, with training 30 central residents to expand the initiative.
He added that the ministry is working to consolidate the culture of the patient’s involvement through the national program to improve the experience of patients, which aims to enable patients and their families to participate in therapeutic decisions and raise the quality of services.
Dr. Abdul Ghaffar stated that the ministry enhances the use of scientific research and modern technologies, through the implementation of 4 major national research in cooperation with the World Health Organization, and the development of a smart national system to report exhibiting events using artificial intelligence techniques; To predict the risks and take preventive measures, declaring the launch of a manufacturer of patient safety in the departments of newborns as a unified scientific and practical reference that guarantees safe care for every baby since his first moments.
The Minister stressed that these efforts come in implementation of the directives of President Abdel Fattah Al -Sisi, who made the citizen’s health a national priority, noting that the praise of the World Health Organization is not in itself, but rather a responsibility that motivates the continuation of work to achieve more achievements in building a safe, fair and sustainable health system.
National program to improve patient experience
For his part, Dr. Awad Taj Al -Din stressed that the concept of patient safety has become an essential part of comprehensive health development, explaining that Egypt has made great progress in the areas of sterilization, fighting infection, and ensuring the use of safe drug.
He pointed to the state’s keenness to protect the medical team during the Korona in appreciation of their sacrifices, stressing that the safety of the service provider is an integral part of the patient’s safety, and that Egypt is moving towards achieving integration between the two parties within an integrated health system.
In his speech, Dr. Ashraf Hatem pointed out that the safety of patients is a pivotal pillar in the state’s health strategy, explaining that Parliament approved legislation that supports this trend, such as the Medical responsibilities law, the Egyptian Health Council law, and the comprehensive health insurance law for the year 2018, which requires the approval of the establishments before joining the system. He added that the House of Representatives continues its work to ensure safe health care from pregnancy to a thousand golden day in the child’s life.
Dr. Ahmed Taha, Chairman of the General Authority for Accreditation and Health Supervision, explained that the celebration of the International Day reflects Egypt’s commitment to applying the concepts of quality and accreditation within its health facilities, noting that the authority’s support for facilities in implementing international standards and improving the patient’s experience, to achieve effective and safe care that guarantees citizen confidence and institutional excellence.
Dr. Naama Abed, representative of the World Health Organization in Egypt, praised the Egyptian experience, stressing that Egypt has taken pioneering steps in integrating safety and quality standards within the policies of comprehensive health reform, from legislation to clinical practices.
The celebration witnessed the signing of a cooperation protocol between the General Authority for Accreditation and Health Supervision and the Ministry of Health and Population (represented by the General Administration of Patient Safety), to enhance the partnership in capacity building, develop national guidelines, and unify the application of quality and safety standards within health facilities.
