Stroke Association Supportnetwork-Ghana (SASNET GHANA) Calls for Urgent Action to Ensure Patient Safety from the Start

Ad Adams

17 Sep, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Stroke Association Supportnetwork-Ghana (SASNET GHANA) Calls for Urgent Action to Ensure Patient Safety from the Start

Accra, Ghana – September 17, 2025

As we commemorate World Patient Safety Day today, the Stroke Association Supportnetwork-Ghana (SASNET GHANA), a national organization and member of the World Patients Alliance, urges the government to prioritize primary health care as a critical component of achieving universal health coverage. The theme for this year’s celebration, ‘Safe care for every newborn and every child’ with the slogan ‘Patient safety from the start!’ highlights the vulnerability of this age group to risks and harm caused by unsafe care.

SASNET GHANA emphasizes that the government cannot achieve its universal health coverage agenda without the realization of primary health care, making healthcare accessible and affordable, especially for newborns and children. We urge the government to:

Strengthen Primary Health Care: Ensure that primary health care is well-funded, well-resourced, and accessible to all, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
Prioritize patient safety: Eliminate avoidable harm in pediatric and newborn care by implementing sustainable strategies for safer care.
Increase access to healthcare: Ensure that all newborns and children have access to quality healthcare services, regardless of their geographical location or economic status.
Promote respectful maternity care: Address institutional challenges, including insufficient respectful maternity care (RMC) and cultural insensitivity in healthcare delivery.
Empower parents and caregivers: Educate and involve parents and caregivers in patient safety, promoting awareness and active participation in care.

In Ghana, many women face cultural barriers, healthcare inaccessibility, and inadequate maternal education, limiting their ability to navigate healthcare systems effectively. These challenges are exacerbated by institutional weaknesses, including insufficient respectful maternity care and cultural insensitivity in healthcare delivery.

Primary health care is the foundation of a strong healthcare system, and its realization is essential for achieving universal health coverage. By prioritizing primary health care, the government can ensure that all Ghanaians, especially newborns and children, have access to quality healthcare services, reducing health inequities and improving health outcomes.

SASNET GHANA is committed to working collaboratively with organizations and like-minded stakeholders to improve health outcomes in Ghana. We urge the government, healthcare organizations, professional bodies, and civil society to join forces to:

Raise national/regional/global awareness: Highlight the specific needs of children, families, and caregivers in pediatric and newborn care.
Mobilize action: Implement sustainable strategies for safer care for newborns and children.
Strengthen research: Advocate for research on patient safety in pediatric and newborn care.

As we commemorate this year’s World Patient Safety Day 17th September 2025, SASNET GHANA reaffirms every child’s right to safe and quality care. We call on all stakeholders to join us in this effort, working together to make healthcare safer for every newborn and every child.

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