Press Release | 09 April 2025
The Philippines, through the Department of Health (DOH), recently brought into the spotlight three (3) critical areas where patient safety needs to be strengthened – primary care, hospital care, and governance. As a key outcome of the 7th Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety, the Mandaluyong Declaration was released, outlining concrete national and global commitments and actionable strategies to reinforce patient safety as a fundamental pillar of healthcare.
The declaration outlines strategies such as strengthening global collaboration for patient safety, advancing leadership and governance, integrating patient safety into disaster and emergency preparedness and climate resilience, and building patient-centered approaches to patient safety. The Mandaluyong Declaration and the commitments made at the summit call on all nations to join in a shared mission to ensure every patient receives safe and high-quality care, regardless of their location.
“With my experience as a trauma surgeon and as the Secretary of Health, I bear witness to the fragility of life and the strength of systems that work together for healing. Let us ground ourselves in the fact that behind every statistic is a person. There is a life whose well-being depends on the safety of the care they receive,” expressed Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa.
As the host country, the DOH, in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO), has gathered key local and international stakeholders from 75 WHO Member States, including 13 Health Ministers, 16 Vice Ministers, 42 Directors and Ministerial Delegates, and one Ambassador.
Embodying the theme, “Weaving Strengths for the Future of Patient Safety Throughout the Healthcare Continuum,” patient safety interventions, such as the surgical checklist, are like the “banig” (handwoven mat) that represents a thoughtful weaving of practices, roles, and responsibilities. The summit emphasized that patient safety is a shared responsibility, woven through collaboration among governments, institutions, healthcare workers, and communities.
“The tapestry we all have weaved in this Summit affirms what we know to be true: that any nation, with courage and collaboration, can serve as a platform for global dialogue and solidarity,” Secretary Herbosa added. | Photo via DOH
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