Lagos tightens patient safety rules over NCD risks

By Doris Obinna

Lagos State Government is stepping up measures to prevent avoidable harm to patients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with authorities demanding tighter regulation, stronger clinical governance and better continuity of care.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, disclosed this at the 2026 World Patient Safety Day commemoration organised by the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA).

Ogunyemi said patients with hypertension, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, sickle cell disease and chronic respiratory conditions face repeated consultations, tests, medication, referrals and follow-up, creating several points where errors could occur.

She said patient safety must, therefore, be built into every stage of care.

Ogunyemi disclosed that the state had inaugurated a Task Force on Clinical Governance and Patient Safety to develop a statewide safety framework, set minimum standards, strengthen incident reporting and learning, improve complaints and redress mechanisms, and develop patient-safety indicators.

She listed diagnostic safety, medication safety, referral systems, continuity of care and patient-provider communication among areas requiring urgent attention.

The Special Adviser said Lagos was also leveraging the Smart Health Information Platform (SHIP) to improve information flow and coordination across healthcare facilities.

She urged healthcare providers to make patients active partners in their care.

“An informed patient is not merely a recipient of healthcare. The patient is a partner in safe care,” she said.
Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Health, Hon. Musbau Lawal, said safe healthcare could not be achieved by chance.

He called for effective regulation, competent healthcare professionals, reliable medicines and equipment, accurate information and functional referral systems.

Lawal said patient safety was a shared responsibility involving government, healthcare providers, patients and communities.

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Dayo Lajide, said a strong health system remained the foundation for safe healthcare, requiring adequate infrastructure, qualified personnel, functional equipment, essential medicines, reliable records and effective clinical protocols.

She urged regulators to go beyond identifying non-compliance and focus on driving improvement across healthcare facilities.

The Chairman, HEFAMAA Board, Dr Yemisi Solanke-Koya, said the agency’s 20th anniversary was an opportunity to assess its regulatory journey and prepare for emerging challenges.

She said HEFAMAA had evolved from inspection to registration, monitoring, accreditation, licensing, enforcement and quality improvement.

The keynote speaker, Consultant Nephrologist, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Dr Ajibola Sanda, identified late diagnosis, medication-related harm, poor follow-up and communication failures as major threats to safe NCD care.

He called for early screening, accurate diagnosis, medication reconciliation, appropriate referrals, patient education and effective follow-up.

Representing the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Opeyemi Ogundinmu said people living with NCDs were particularly exposed to diagnostic delays, medication errors and fragmented care because they often receive prolonged care from multiple providers.

At a panel session, experts advocated a non-blaming “just culture” that encourages healthcare workers to report errors and near misses, investigate their causes and learn from them.

Patients also called for affordable medicines, respectful communication, continuity of care, stronger digital health records, pharmacovigilance and improved healthcare-worker training.

The event was held under the 2026 World Patient Safety Day theme: “Safe Care for Non-Communicable Diseases,” “Safe Care for Life.”

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