Josiah Oluwaseun ODU, Abiodun SORUNKE
The Ulutas Medical Journal - 2026;12(2):16-24
Initiatives for patient safety seek to stop infections, medical mistakes, and other unfavourable outcomes that could endanger patients or even cause their death. Deliberate efforts should be made to guarantee that care is provided in a safe environment wherever it is provided, as this helps rebuild public trust in the healthcare system. In sub-Saharan Africa, there are several barriers to achieving patient safety for maternal and child health. Low healthcare financing is the main factor compromising patient safety for mother and child health in sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa has a more severe human resources for health (HRH) crisis, as well as a severe shortage of material resources, necessary medications and supplies, and a deficient healthcare infrastructure. These issues make it more difficult to provide safe maternity, child health, surgical, and medical treatment, which increases the risk of adverse patient safety events. In this review the challenges faced in providing safe maternal and child health in sub-Saharan Africa are examined.
