The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged African countries to prioritise patient safety in the treatment of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), warning that patients face risks of avoidable harm at different stages of care. WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, made the call in a message marking the 2026 World Patient Safety Day, themed 'Safe care for noncommunicable diseases,' with the slogan 'Safe care for life!' Janabi said people living with diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and chronic respiratory conditions often require long-term consultations, tests, medications, referrals, and treatment, exposing them to risks including delayed diagnosis, medication errors, adverse drug interactions, poor follow-up, and communication gaps. He noted that NCDs caused at least 43 million deaths globally in 2021 and accounted for 37 per cent of all deaths in the WHO African Region in 2019, compared with 24 per cent in 2000.
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