4 September 2024, Lahj, Yemen – Ibn Khaldoun Hospital in Lahj embarked on a journey towards enhanced health care quality and management stability under the leadership of Dr Majeed Atif. This endeavour began soon after his appointment as hospital director in 2022.
A dedicated quality team and committee were set up in 2022, marking a new era of commitment to quality improvement and patient safety. The hospital, which opened its doors in 1990, has a 250-bed capacity and serves a significant catchment area of more than 1.5 million people.
Its management has since undertaken several initiatives to ensure continuous quality improvement. A cornerstone of these efforts is the development of an annual quality plan. This is rigorously followed up and evaluated to ensure ongoing advances in hospital operations and patient care.
Further strengthening its commitment to patient safety, Ibn Khaldoun Hospital has implemented WHO checklists for safe surgeries and childbirth. It has also established policies for accurate patient identification at all stages of diagnosis and treatment.
In line with WHO-recommended infection prevention and control measures, the hospital has adopted Yemen’s national infection prevention and control guidelines. These include enhanced hygiene practices, advanced sterilization and safe injection protocols, proper management of health care waste, and consistent use of personal protective equipment. Handwashing stations have also been set up across the hospital to reinforce efforts to prevent the spread of infections.
In the realm of pharmaceutical management, Ibn Khaldoun Hospital prioritizes the safe handling of high-risk medications and the precise monitoring of patient records. This approach ensures drug safety and appropriate treatment.
This multipronged approach – spanning planning, adoption of protocols and guidelines, and investments in patient records management and medical supplies and consumables – is contributing to enhanced quality of care for patients in Lahj governorate.
WHO supports quality of care capacity-building in this hospital as part of the Emergency Human Capital Project implemented in partnership with the World Bank.
