The Lagos State Government has inaugurated a 39-member Task Force on Clinical Governance and Patient Safety, becoming the first state in Nigeria to domesticate the national initiative aimed at strengthening healthcare standards, accountability and patient safety.
Inaugurating the task force in Ikeja, Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the initiative would cover the entire health sector, including private and informal healthcare providers. He noted that Lagos has approximately 10 private health facilities for every government facility, stressing the need for stronger oversight, clinical audits, evidence-based medicine, digital tools and continuous professional development.
Abayomi also identified fever management as a potential pilot for the initiative, insisting that malaria should not be diagnosed without appropriate testing. He emphasised the importance of improving clinical practices to ensure patients receive safe, effective and evidence-based care across the state.
The Chairman of the Task Force and Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, said the body has three months to develop a Lagos State Clinical Governance and Patient Safety Framework. The framework will address minimum standards, incident reporting and learning, patient feedback and redress, as well as implementation structures, while the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Dayo Lajide, described the initiative as a step towards making quality healthcare a system-wide responsibility.
