LUMC Celebrates World Patient Safety Day
By: Ariane Erin C. Amparo, GPC-LUMC | Photos By: Mark John A. Calub | Date: September 17, 2021
The Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) through the La Union Medical Center (LUMC) joined the celebration of the World Patient Safety Day on September 17, 2021 with the theme “Safe Maternal and Newborn Care” by conducting lectures for expectant and new mothers.
The lectures aimed to raise awareness on the issues of maternal and newborn safety, particularly during childbirth, ensure safe maternal and newborn care during childbirth and advocate the adoption of best practices at the point of care to prevent avoidable risks and harm to all women and newborn during childbirth.
Focusing on women in pregnancy and around the time of birth, Drs. Bernadette M. Lizada and Kaezel Lauigan, both from the OB-Gyne Department put emphasis that all expectant mothers attend all consults during pregnancy and after childbirth, be actively involved in their own care and the care for their baby, be able to communicate openly with their health care team, secure support from their partner, family and community and be prepared mentally and physically for childbirth and few days after birth. They were also encouraged to seek health care in health facilities despite the adversaries brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. On one hand, Dr. Terence John C. Fang from the Pediatrics Department discussed essential intrapartum newborn care or otherwise known as “unang yakap”, sudden infant death syndrome and breastfeeding.
The World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) is an official campaign of the World Health Organization (WHO) for all stakeholders in the healthcare system to work together to improve patient safety. It recognizes the scale of avoidable harm linked with medical errors. Established by the World Health Assembly in 2019 through resolution WHA72.6 on “Global action on patient safety”, it is observed annually on 17 September with the objective of enhancing global understanding of patient safety. Each year, a new theme is selected to shed light on a priority patient safety area where action is needed to reduce avoidable harm in health care and achieve universal health coverage.
Heading the direction of Gov. Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” R. Ortega III, the LUMC and all District Hospitals of the province are renewing commitments to continuously look for ways to ensure safety of patients most especially during the time of pandemic.
The activity was done while strictly observing safety protocols.
