Patient safety in the developing world: new frontiers.

Patient safety is not only a vitally important concept for nurses and doctors in the developed world, but is also essential for those in the developing world. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the WHO African Partnership for Patient Safety (APPS) project, which brings together nurses, doctors and other health professionals in both UK and African hospitals to enhance patient safety. This article will discuss the APPS project alongside a report (WHO, 2008) from the Regional Director, Regional Office for Africa, which outlines key patient safety challenges and opportunities. Some are particularly relevant to hospitals in the developed world, whereas others can apply to all hospitals.