Athens will be the seat of the World Health Organization (WHO) Office for Quality of Healthcare and Patient Safety, according to an announcement on Friday by Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias and WHO’s regional director for Europe, Hans Kluge, after their meeting in Copenhagen.
The new WHO office will serve the needs of European countries, with particular emphasis placed on providing technical assistance, support and leadership in the quality of healthcare and patient safety.
The aim is for the office to be operational within the coming months and for the next five years.
The Health Ministry said WHO’s decision was based on a series of factors, including Greece’s resilience in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and the experience it has gained in the field of quality patient care and safety, with the establishment of the National Organization for Quality Assurance in Health (ODIPY).
Other factors cited included the implementation and management of the anti-smoking law, which has improved the level of public health and patient safety.
