Malaysia marked “World Patient Safety Day” yesterday by lighting up the capital of Putrajaya in shades of orange.
Health Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah wrote online that the celebration was also a sign of appreciation for health workers working hard amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Buildings across Putrajaya will remain illuminated until Sunday.
“In conjunction with World Patient Safety Day 2020 which is celebrated each year on 17 September, Malaysia is joining the rest of the world in lighting up monuments in orange as a symbol of solidarity for Patient Safety,” the 57-year-old said.
“It is also a sign of appreciation to all health workers for their services in ensuring the safety of patients, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Besides patient safety, he also highlighted the importance of having a support system for health professionals.
“One of the main objectives of this year’s World Patient Safety Day is to raise awareness on the importance of health personnel safety which is closely related to patient safety. Health professionals need to be physically and mentally safe and healthy while giving treatment. Therefore, we call on all parties to support health workers and ‘Speak Up for Health Worker Safety,’” the former surgeon wrote.
The public can pledge their support for “World Safety Patient Day” by taking photos of the city and uploading it onto their social media pages using the hashtags #PutrajayaInOrange and #WorldPatientSafetyDay2020. A hundred social media users with the best photos and captions will receive a certificate of participation from the Ministry of Health.
Other cities around the world that lit up for “World Patient Safety Day” include Sunderland and Cardiff in England, and Durban in South Africa.
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