The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on governments as well as healthcare leaders to address persistent threats to the safety of health workers and patients.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded all of us of the vital role health workers play to relieve suffering and safe lives,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
Media briefing on #WorldPatientSafetyDay with @DrTedros https://t.co/CFfNFvTA4k
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) September 17, 2020
“No country, hospital or clinic can keep its patients safe unless it keeps its health workers safe. WHO’s Health Worker Safety Charter is a step towards ensuring that health workers have the safe working the conditions, the training, the pay and the respect they deserve,” he added.
The Charter has also been released on the occasion of World Patient Safety Day that calls on governments to take five actions to better protect health workers. These include steps:
• To protect health workers from violence
• To improve their mental health
• To protect them from physical and biological hazards
• To advance national programmes for health worker safety
• To connect health worker safety policies to existing patient safety policies
