Bicycle Rally on World Patient Safety Day 2023

At Roche, safeguarding medicines for those in need is fundamental to our mission. That's why World Patient Safety Day holds special significance for us, as we believe it is our responsibility to collaborate with partners to enhance patient safety nationwide.

The 17th September is observed every year as World Patient Safety Day. This year, we celebrated with the theme "Engaging patients for patient safety" to recognize the vital role that patients, their families, and caregivers play in ensuring the safety of health care. 

WHO urges all stakeholders to implement the requisite measures to guarantee patient participation in policy development, representation in governance bodies, co-design of safety strategies, and active engagement as partners in their own healthcare, as encapsulated in the slogan "Elevate the voice of patients!"

Same as previous years, a number of activities have been planned this year by Roche Bangladesh. Among them, the public awareness bicycle rally  is a unique occasion that will help draw the capital's residents' attention.

On the occasion of World Patient Safety Day 2023, we are honored to be the co-organizing partner of a bicycle rally in collaboration with the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA). This public awareness bicycle rally took place on September 15, 2023.

The rally underlined the importance of involving patients and their families in healthcare settings, with the ultimate goal of minimizing losses and saving lives. The event was designed to raise public awareness and garner media attention on this critical issue, all in the pursuit of ensuring safe care for patients.

Major General Mohammad Yousuf, the Chief  Guest at the inaugural event, is the Director General of the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA). "To guarantee patients receive safe treatment, it is critical to be aware of adverse drug reactions," he said. The Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021–2030 has been adopted by the government, which is also placing a strong emphasis on the structural advancement of associated health services.

Patient safety can only be improved if patients, caregivers, and families are involved at all levels, according to Dr. Md. Aktar Hossain, Director of the DGDA and Head of the National Pharmacovigilance Center. 

Mr. Mark Heeb, Country Manager, Roche Bangladesh, made a special guest speech and stated: "Roche is collaborating closely with the government to guarantee patients in Bangladesh get safe treatment. Roche Bangladesh pledges to support the Drug Administration's objectives pertaining to the sharing of worldwide information and technological know-how.

The event was conducted at the Directorate General of Drug Administration's main office on Friday. It was organized in collaboration with the DGDA and Roche Bangladesh, with the support of South Dhaka Cyclist (SDC) and the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI).

The DGDA's Mohakhali headquarters served as the starting point for the cycling rally, which circled the city and concluded there at 9:30 am after roaming major areas in Dhaka city. Leading the demonstration were around 200 cyclists, including Mr. Sifat, the founding administrator of South Dhaka bikers. By walking about the city of Dhaka in awareness T-shirts, one may raise awareness of this among some of the population.  By raising public awareness, media coverage of this incident will be crucial in ensuring patients get safe care.