Morocco’s Minister of Health, Khalid Aït Taleb, underscored the importance of leveraging new technologies to improve diagnostics and reduce medical errors during the National Conference on Patient Safety in Rabat on Tuesday.
The conference was organized in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), focused on the theme “Improving Diagnosis to Ensure Patient Safety.”
Aït Taleb emphasized that patient safety is a critical public health issue. He pointed out that the improvement of diagnostic safety is a key element in ensuring overall patient safety and called it a “moral and professional imperative.”
Accurate and timely diagnosis, he said, are essential for effective treatment and patient care, combined with new technologies play a pivotal role in improving this process.
WHO’s Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030 was highlighted as a major framework for reducing healthcare-related risks, errors, and harm.
Aït Taleb noted that Morocco is integrating this plan into its national health policies through several initiatives, including launching training programs for healthcare professionals, focusing on safer practices, and continuously improving care processes.
During his comments he mentioned Morocco’s efforts to expand health insurance coverage. He stressed the need for robust systems for managing clinical risks and improving medical practices.
This includes setting up regional health focused groups aimed at fostering local governance, coordination, and technological integration, all crucial for addressing the population’s expectations.
WHO representative Maryam Bigdeli commended Morocco for its commitment to patient safety and efforts toward universal health coverage.
Speaking at the same event, she called for intensified efforts to minimize diagnostic errors through better policies, human resource development, and patient engagement.
She cited WHO data indicating that medical errors result in around 2.6 million deaths annually, particularly in low and middle-income countries.
Bigdeli also referenced the social and financial impact of healthcare errors, estimating the cost of damage to patients at between one and two trillion dollars annually. She further praised the approval of the WHO Global Action Plan for Patient Safety during the 74th World Health Assembly in 2021.
The plan emphasizes the involvement of patients, their families, and healthcare workers in reducing preventable harm in healthcare.
In alignment with the global action plan, Morocco is launching a national campaign over the next four weeks to raise awareness about patient safety. This initiative is expected to address key challenges in ensuring safer healthcare environments in Morocco.
Minister Aït Taleb concluded by reiterating the need for continuous improvement in healthcare practices and systems, stressing that the country’s future policies would prioritize patient safety at every level of care.