Alert on Low-Quality Healthcare

Poor-quality health services are holding back progress on improving health in countries at all income levels, according to a new joint report by the OECD, World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank. Today, inaccurate diagnosis, medication errors, inappropriate or unnecessary treatment, inadequate or unsafe clinical facilities or practices, or providers who lack adequate training and expertise, prevail in all countries, a WHO note said. The situation is worst in low and middle-income countries where 10 percent of hospitalised patients can expect to acquire an infection during their stay, as compared to 7 percent in high-income countries. – The Hindu BusinessLine