This speech was read by the Director General of Health Malaysia, Datuk Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah at the official opening of ‘2nd PATIENTS For Patient Safety In Country Workshop’, 29th September 2014 (Monday), Everly Hotel, Putrajaya

Dr. Graham Harrison
WHO Representative for Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore

YBhg. Dato’ Dr Azman Abu Bakar
Director
Medical Development Division
Ministry of Health

Y.Bhg Datin Paduka Siti Sa’diah Sheikh Bakir
President
Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH)

Mr J. Manvir
Chairman Patients for Patient Safety Malaysia (PFPSM)

Ms Nittita Prosopa Plaizier
Program Manager and Technical Lead PATIENTS for Patient Safety
WHO Geneva

Dr. Kenichiro Taneda
Technical Officer for Patient Safety at Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO), Manila

Esteemed guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Assalamualaikum wm.wb and a very good afternoon to everyone.

First of all, I would like to welcome all of you to the 2nd PATIENTS For Patient Safety InCountry Workshop’. It is like a dejavu to me as I was here a year ago in this very same hotel, with almost the same crowd during the closing session of the 1st Incountry Workshop on the 6th Sept 2013. I am glad to learn that Patients for Patient Safety initiative has evolved tremendously within the last one year. On the 29th April 2014, PATIENTS For Patient Safety Malaysia (PFPSM) was officially launched by The Honorary Datuk Seri Dr. S.Subramaniam, Minister of Health during “The National Leaders’ Summit On Patients For Patient Safety”. I was also informed that recently the Chairman of PFPSM, Mr Manvir and Prof Kadar from MSQH were invited to be involved in “Thailand PATIENTS For Patient Safety InCountry Workshop”. I am also proud to announce that PFPSM has now officially become a member of Patient Safety Council Malaysia. This shows that Malaysia is very serious in hearing patients’ voice to improve the healthcare system.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are here today with one aim, which is to make patients as part of our team in establishing a safer healthcare. It is estimated that 1 in 10 patients in hospital will encounter patient safety incident which is preventable. This is indeed an alarming statistic and hence, more effective and aggressive actions involving the policy makers, healthcare staff, NGOs and patients are required. Research has shown that patient engagement can lead to a measurable improvement in terms of quality and safety. “Patient engagement” should not be viewed as something rhetoric. Instead, it is a powerful strategy in healthcare which is doable and will benefit both patient and caregiver. Not only in improving patient safety but also in increasing patient satisfaction.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Patients For Patient Safety (PFPS) is a global network of patients, providers, policy-makers and those who have affected by patient safety incidents, dedicated to improving healthcare safety through advocacy, collaboration and partnership. PFPS believes that safety will be improved if patients are placed at the centre of care and included as partners in the healthcare management. Other countries such as Canada, Australia and Ireland have shown that the patients can become successful advocators and educators in patient safety which give significant impact not only to the care givers but also to the general public.

Ladies and gentlemen,

This 2nd Incountry Workshop is a continuity of the 1st Workshop where a road map was produced. This time we aim to train few identified hospitals both in public and private sector on how to develop PATIENTS For Patient Safety initiative at hospital level. This is why we invited all of you in pairs: one hospital leader and at least one patient from the same hospital. I am glad to see long list of hospitals are going to be involved in this pilot project. All of you are the “chosen one” to be the pioneer in this project based on specific criteria. I am pleased to hereby announce the names of all the fourteen hospitals and they are:

1. Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Sabah
2. Selayang Hospital
3. Sungai Buloh Hospital
4. Putrajaya Hospital
5. Ampang Hospital
6. National Cancer Institute
7. UM Medical Centre
8. UKM Medical Centre
9. Penang Adventist Hospital
10. KPJ Ampang
11. KPJ Damansara
12. Pantai Hospital KL
13. Gleneagles Hospital AND
14. National Heart Institute

For this pilot project, most of the hospitals are located in Klang Valley due to logistic reason and resource limitation. Nevertheless, if this pilot project is successful, we will expand to other states throughout the country.

Ladies and gentleman,

I hope all of you will take the opportunity in this workshop to discuss and learn more about patient safety, the current scenario in our country and the various initiatives developed by Ministry of Health Malaysia and Patient Safety Council Malaysia. We have shared our initiatives internationally and I am proud to announce that we are considered as one of the role models in the Western Pacific Region in terms of our effort to improve patient safety. In fact, our Head of Patient Safety Unit, MOH- Dr Nor’Aishah Abu Bakar is one of the 10 receiver of WHO Scholarship world wide to attend ISQUA International Conference 2014 in Rio de Janeiro next month. She will also present a paper entitled “Malaysian Patient Safety Goals – A Singular Benchmarking On Patient Safety”. For your information, Malaysian Patient Safety Goals was launched on the 24th of June last year during the 1st National Patient Safety Campaign and it has created a great awareness or “tsunami on patient safety” in this country.

Before I end my speech, I would like to congratulate PATIENTS for Patient Safety Malaysia; Patient Safety Unit of Medical Development Division, Ministry of Health and MSQH for organizing this workshop. I also would like to convey my gratitude to World Health Organization for funding this workshop; WHO Malaysia office headed by Dr Graham Harrison who facilitate the approval of funding and World Health Organization consultants, Dr Nittita Prasopa Plaizer and Dr Ken-Ichiro Taneda who have shown their endless commitment to this program since last year. Last but not least the hospital leaders and patients who have been selected to take this great challenge in embarking into this new project. So, all the best to all of you and hopefully we will be here again next year to listen to your success stories. With lafaz “Bismillahirahmanirahim”, In the name of Allah The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful I declare this “2nd Patients for Patient Safety Malaysia Incountry Workshop officially open.

Thank you.