FG Sets Up National Task Force to Boost Clinical Governance, Patient Safety — Pate

The Federal Government has inaugurated a National Task Force on Clinical Governance and Patient Safety to strengthen quality of care and accountability across Nigeria’s health system, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has announced.

The task force is expected to drive the integration of quality and patient safety into all levels of healthcare delivery, shifting focus from access alone to people-centred, high-quality care in line with global recommendations for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

According to Pate, the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and supports key global and national targets, including Sustainable Development Goal 3.8 on access to quality essential health services, as well as the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.

The task force will conduct a nationwide assessment of existing clinical governance and patient safety systems, develop standard national frameworks and policies, and issue implementation guidelines for health facilities. It will also strengthen systems for preventing, reporting, and responding to adverse events and safety incidents, while promoting compliance with evidence-based clinical standards and ethical practices.

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Other responsibilities include building capacity for health workers and managers on risk management and quality improvement, institutionalising patient safety culture at facility, state, and national levels, and improving patient and community engagement through feedback and complaint mechanisms.

The body will also establish national indicators and monitoring systems to track quality and safety performance, enhance coordination among federal and state authorities, regulators, professional bodies, and the private sector, and ensure confidentiality in handling patient safety and facility performance data.

Pate said the task force will serve as a strategic platform to improve health outcomes, patient experience, and workforce performance, adding that its members bring diverse expertise and experience to support reforms in clinical governance.

Full membership of the task force, he noted, has been published on his official social media handle, where stakeholders can view the list of appointed experts.