Seha Launches Medication Safety Campaign 2009

The campaign, held under the banner "Be Safe-Ask Your Pharmacist," focuses on the importance of promoting medication safety on all levels; among healthcare professionals who prescribe medications and the public who use it.

A weeklong programme of activities about medication safety will target healthcare professionals in all Seha facilities, and will be followed by a public campaign aimed at UAE nationals and expatriates living throughout the emirate. Seha's medication safety initiative will extend to Seha hospitals in Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain and the Western Region

Dr. Ali Alobaidli, chief medical officer of Seha explained Seha strategic objective and target to deliver better healthcare at all levels and excel in patient safety across all Seha facilities.

He further emphasized the importance of involving the community in their healthcare plans.

"Seha realizes the challenges the healthcare is facing globally in regard to patient safety... We are the pioneers in involving the community to play an active role in their well-being and work hand in hand with their doctors and pharmacists for a safer medication use."

Dr. Alobaidli said that educating healthcare professionals in safe practices is vital, and one of the continuing initiatives of Seha.

"Our aim is to equip health professionals with the knowledge to avoid medication errors and the courage to report these errors immediately. We hope these measures will highlight the dangerous ramifications of errors and negligence on the patient, and increase awareness on the importance of studied and responsible prescription procedures."

Dr. Sahar Abu Omar, Chairperson of the Medication Safety Committee, Seha, explained that the public needs to be more engaged in their own treatment, learning more about the medications they take and how to take them safely. The campaign will help educate people on the fundamentals of medication usage and give them an opportunity to get answers to areas of doubt. The campaign will focus on key messages relating to responsibility of the patient, proper storage habits for medicines and how to administer children's medication.

"This is a highly interactive campaign. We will be setting up information kiosks at key hospitals and malls and we encourage people to bring medications to our pharmacists to discuss any questions or issues they may have. This is a great opportunity for the public to engage with highly qualified Seha pharmacists,"

said Abu Omar.