By: Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja.
As the world marked World Patient Safety Day 2025, the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP) raised concerns over rising cases of unsafe healthcare practices, revealing that 1 in every 10 patients globally is harmed during healthcare delivery, leading to over 3 million preventable deaths annually.
Addressing journalists during a press conference held on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at the Internal Medicine Seminar Hall, National Hospital, Abuja, the FCT Zonal Coordinator of WAPCP, Dr. Abubakar Danraka (FPCPharm, PhD, MIPAN), described the statistics as alarming and a “wake-up call” for healthcare stakeholders in Nigeria and across West Africa.
The event was organized to commemorate World Patient Safety Day under the global theme: “Safe Care for Every Newborn and Every Child” with the slogan “Patient Safety from the Start.”
Dr. Danraka emphasized that newborns and children are particularly vulnerable to medical harm, especially in high-risk areas like Intensive Care Units (ICUs), surgical wards, and during medication administration. Citing research findings, he noted that up to 97% of adverse events in neonatal care are preventable, often resulting from unsafe childbirth, infections, diagnostic delays, and medication errors.
“We are talking about as high as 91.6% adverse events in pediatric ICUs, and 53.8% in general pediatric settings. These are not just numbers, they represent real children whose lives were endangered or lost due to avoidable mistakes,” Dr. Danraka said.
Nigeria Not Immune to Global Trends
According to the WHO, over 50% of harm to patients is preventable, and nearly half of this stems from medication errors. WAPCP affirmed that Nigeria faces similar risks as seen globally, with common issues including:
Prescription and dispensing errors
Surgical and diagnostic mistakes
Patient misidentification
Unsafe transfusion and injection practices
Hospital-acquired infections
Poor communication among healthcare professionals
“These systemic failures compromise patient safety and reduce trust in our healthcare institutions,” Dr. Danraka warned.
Highlighting progress made in the Federal Capital Territory, WAPCP applauded the efforts of Consultant Pharmacists who, despite infrastructural challenges, have continued to play vital roles in safeguarding patient welfare.
Through thorough medication reviews, prescription verification, and patient education, pharmacists have helped prevent drug interactions, allergic reactions, and dosing errors, directly reducing harm to patients.
Dr. Danraka commended eight federal agencies in the FCT that have so far appointed Consultant Pharmacists, describing it as a “game-changer” in promoting holistic patient safety and effective pharmaceutical care.
“We call on all healthcare institutions in Nigeria to urgently follow suit and appoint consultant-level pharmacists,” he added.
Call for Government Action
WAPCP urged the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and other relevant institutions to prioritize patient safety as a national health goal. The college also called on the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to intensify public awareness on the Patients’ Bill of Rights.
“Patients and caregivers must know their rights. Accountability must be enforced across all levels of the healthcare system,” WAPCP stated.
Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance
As part of its activities, WAPCP showcased findings from a study involving 200 mothers that explored the importance of proper oral suspension drug administration in pediatric care, a step the group said is crucial in the fight against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
The Way Forward
The 2025 campaign, WAPCP emphasized, is not just a commemoration but a clarion call for:
Stronger clinical safety standards
Better training and welfare for healthcare workers
Effective systems for incident reporting and patient feedback
Greater involvement of families in care delivery
“As we reflect on this year’s World Patient Safety Day, let us renew our collective resolve to protect every patient, especially every child, from harm. Patient safety must no longer be an aspiration, it must be a reality,” Dr. Danraka concluded.