The federal government says it has strengthened its commitment to patient safety and clinical governance in health institutions to ensure safer, quality care for Nigerians living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, said this on Thursday in Abuja during the commemoration of World Patient Safety Day 2026.

The 2026 observance, themed “Safe Care for Noncommunicable Diseases”, had the slogan “Safe care for life.

Mr Pate noted that NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, constitute a major health burden and often require prolonged interaction with the health system. 

He explained that the extended nature of NCD care creates multiple points where safety risks may occur, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, referral, follow-up, and long-term management.

“Patient safety remains fundamental to the quality and effectiveness of healthcare delivery, requiring that the right care is provided to the right patient, at the right time and in the right manner, while minimising avoidable harm,” he said.

He recalled that the ministry developed the National Patient Safety and Care Quality Policy and Implementation Strategy in 2024.

He added that in January 2026, it further strengthened the national patient safety architecture by establishing and inaugurating the National Task Force on Clinical Governance and Patient Safety.

Mr Pate emphasised that safer healthcare requires more than the individual commitment of health professionals, stressing the importance of strong leadership and governance structures, clear standards, competent and supported health workers, reliable data, functional incident-reporting and learning systems, quality improvement mechanisms, and meaningful engagement of patients and their families.

The minister stressed that the 2026 focus on NCDs reinforces the urgency of strengthening these systems, noting unsafe diagnosis, medication errors, poor communication, and inadequate follow-up.

“Let us move from commitment to action; from reporting to learning; and from learning to sustained improvement,” he said.

The permanent secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, said patient safety must be embedded in every stage of care through appropriate standards and protocols, reliable health information, effective referral systems and continuous improvement.

According to her, patient safety is central to the Ministry’s mandate to save lives, reduce physical and financial pain, and promote health for all Nigerians, noting that a strong health system must not only expand access but also provide care Nigerians can trust to be safe, effective, and people-centred.

She said this year’s theme, “Safe Care for Noncommunicable Diseases,” with the slogan “Safe Care for Life,” underscored the need to protect patients from avoidable harm throughout the continuum of care.

Speaking on behalf of the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, the WHO country representative, Parvel Ursu, stressed the need to strengthen primary health care, improve continuity and coordination of services, promote safe use of medicines and technologies, and establish systems where health workers can report errors and learn from them without fear of blame.

He also urged patients and families to participate actively in their care by asking questions, raising concerns, and helping make health services safer.