Annually, World Patient Safety Day is celebrated on the 17th of September to raise awareness of the need to improve the safety of patients. It is one of the WHO’s global public days, declared in 2019 by the Seventy-Second World Health Assembly through the adoption of Resolution WHA72.6 – “Global action on patient safety”. Despite age, race, religion and location, all are prone to various communicable and non-communicable diseases. Hence at a certain point in life, we all are patients, either physically or mentally.

Though the safety of the patient is a global topic, especially in underdeveloped countries with poor health facilities, the number of patients and those who are at risk of being misdiagnosed are increasing. Many people are prone to sicknesses due to the lack of knowledge, inability to afford medications and expensive surgeries, ignorance of personal health due to other responsibilities, and inability to diagnose the disease.

Unfortunately, though Sri Lanka is a country with free health facilities, due to the evolving economic crisis, many Sri Lankan patients suffer from various difficulties. The scarcity of pharmaceuticals is a crucial fact here. The inability to pay for medical treatments is another threat faced by Sri Lankans.

When the threats to patient safety, in general, lie as above, ‘Medication Safety’ has been selected as the theme for World Patient Safety Day 2022, with the slogan, ‘Medication without Harm’. The campaign aims for the involvement of stakeholders to prevent the harm caused to patients by harmful medication practices while making the general public, including the patients and their families, aware of the safe usage of medications.

According to the NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms, “Medicines are the practices and procedures used for the prevention, treatment, or relief of symptoms of diseases or abnormal conditions.” These medications, which are used to eradicate diseases, can cause harm to the patients simultaneously when not used properly.

More than anyone else in the world, you are responsible for yourself. The value of your life for yourself and your beloved ones is incomparable. Concerning this, below mentioned are some do’s and don’ts that a patient should follow when consuming medicines.

Do’s as a patient

• Get the proper dosage of medicines.
• Keep medicines out of reach for the kids.
• Be aware of the side effects of the medications you take.
• Store the medicines in the proper places.

Don’ts as a patient

• Do not take medicine that is not prescribed by a doctor.
• Do not take any medicine without checking the expiry date.
• Do not neglect medical advice.
• Do not follow myths or any medications which come from old beliefs.

Generally, though a higher population of the aged crowd are patients, currently, with the technological advancements and busy routines, there is an increase in the youth being prone to health conditions, mainly due to negligence. If they continue neglecting their safety as patients, we will lose young, energetic individuals in less time. As we have already lost many lives with the hit of the COVID-19 pandemic, the loss of many more valuable lives due to medical negligence is intolerable.

It is also a well-known fact that there is a pharmaceutical mafia that negatively affects medical safety around the world. Implementing rigid rules and regulations is a must against all such illegal medicine dealers with the involvement of responsible stakeholders.

The latest updates from the WHO official site signify that they will organize a series of webinars on medication safety and a global virtual event to pass down the message of using medicines safely worldwide. WHO is also working on medication safety solutions and technical products in 2022.

On the final note, we all are responsible for our safety and the parties related to the medical profession should also adhere to ethics and be responsible during the medications. As the World Health Organization mentions, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Thus, the medications should not lose any of the above factors and should maintain a high profile.

Written by Nimna Perera

Graphic Design by Nilakshi De Silva