First do no harm: Patient safety needs to be a public health issue

WHO has reported a poor safety record for healthcare, with a one-in-300 chance of a patient being harmed during healthcare, compared to a one-in-a-million chance of being harmed while in an aircraft. - AFP

Public Health is a discipline in Medicine, like Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Surgery and Internal Medicine.

There is more than one definition of Public Health. A commonly used one is “the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts of society” (Acheson, 1988; World Health Organization [WHO]).