Championing the patient voice at Global Patient Safety Summit

IAPO Board Chair and Patient Safety Champion, Ellos Lodzeni, participated in the 7th Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety held on 3-4 April in Manila, Philippines. The two-day event, hosted at the Asian Development Bank in Mandaluyong City, brought together representatives from 64 countries under the theme "Weaving Strengths for the Future of Patient Safety Throughout the Healthcare Continuum."

As a featured speaker in the opening Experts Plenary chaired by Sir Liam Donaldson (WHO Special Envoy for Patient Safety), Ellos advocated for stronger patient engagement in safety initiatives worldwide. He noted that while there has been some progress on patient involvement in policy-making and data sharing, representation on governing boards remains insufficient across countries: "In order to ensure maximum engagement, patients must be given a seat in the governance structures and other initiatives on patient safety."

Other experts in the panel included:

• Dr. Irina Papieva, World Health Organization, Switzerland

• Dr. Henrietta Hughes, Patient Safety Commissioner, England

• Dr. Lydia Okutoyi, Director, Healthcare Quality, Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya

• Mr. Lluis Vinyals Torres, Director, Division of Health Systems and Services, WPRO

The summit, organised by the Department of Health of the Republic of the Philippines and co-sponsored by WHO, considered various issues pertaining to the implementation of the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030 and the gaps identified in the first Global Patient Safety Report 2024. Key insights from the discussions included:

• Patient safety initiatives require political leadership for accelerated action

• A staggering 13% of healthcare costs in OECD countries are spent addressing preventable harm

• Patient safety initiatives demonstrate exceptional value, returning approximately $10 for every $1 invested

• AI technologies show promise in empowering patients, streamlining safety processes, and reducing staff burnout

• Patient voices must be integrated into disaster preparedness and climate resilience initiatives

The meeting culminated in the adoption of the Mandaluyong Declaration, which recognises the need for urgent action to make patient safety a universal imperative by establishing it as a foundational pillar of resilient, people-centred and equitable health systems.

IAPO remains committed to ensuring patient perspectives remain central to global safety initiatives and will continue to advocate for meaningful engagement across all levels of healthcare planning and delivery. The event recordings can be accessed here.