2026 World Patient Safety Day was observed across the globe today and brought together governments, partners and communities focusing their attention on patient safety and accelerate action to reduce avoidable harm in healthcare.
The theme for this year is “Safe for noncommunicable diseases” with the slogan safe care for life.
The World Patient safety Day which was observed today is an official WHO global public health observed every year on September 17 was established by the World Health Assembly in 2019 through resolution WHA 72.6 on global action to reduce avoidable harm in healthcare.
The 2026 campaign addressed the rising need to prevent avoidable harm during long – term prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of noncommunicable diseases like cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory conditions.
It encouraged stakeholders to integrate patient safety principles across NCD – related legislation, policies, strategies and programmes with an emphasis on strengthening Primary Health Care ( PHC) – oriented health system.
The Day is also aimed at raising global awareness of patient safety, engage key stakeholders, and and encourage action to reduce avoidable harm in healthcare administration.
Each year, World Patient safety Day focuses on selected patient safety theme: This provides a shared platforms for patients, families, health workers, health leaders, policy makers, civil society, and communities to work together for safe care.
Under the slogan “Safe care for life,” World Patient Safety Day calls for stronger action to prevent avoidable harm throughout the full continuum of CND care. It highlights the need for care that is safe, continuous, coordinated, and centres on patients needs, experiences and rights.
The 2026 campaign emphasized the need to strengthen patient safety across continuum of care through a primary health care approach, while addressing broader health system challenges and social determinants that may increase the risk of harm. It also highlights the importance of meaningful engagement of people living with NCDs in the design and delivery of care and services.
From available statistical data, Non Communicable diseases accounted for 43 million deaths in 2021, approximately three – quarters of all non – pandemic – related deaths worldwide. Around 18 million people died from NCD before the age of 70, and 82% of premature deaths occurred in low – and middle – income countries.
Risks can arise from medication errors, delayed or incorrect diagnosis, healthcare – associated infractions, unsafe procedures, incomplete records, poorly managed referrals, and transitions, patient misidentification, inadequate follow – up, and unsafe transfusion practices.
Around 1 in every 10 patients is armed while receiving healthcare, and unsafe care is associated with more than 3 million deaths every year. Approximately 1 in every 30 patients, with more than one quaters of these cases considered severe or life threatening.
Patient harm may reduce global economy growth by approximately 0. 7% annually, while its indirect worldwide cost runs into trillion of dollars loss.
Health practitioners, workers, related stakeholders across the globe must ensure the following:
* The right patient receives the right blood component: correctly matched and administered at the right time;
*Medicines are prescribed, despensed, taken and monitored safely;
*Essential tests and follow – up appointments are not delayed or missed;
* Transition between peadeatric, adult, hospital, primary and communities care are carefully coordinated,
* Patients and families have accessible information and meaningful voice in decision; and healthcare professionals work within adequately staffed, property resources and learning – oriented systems.
SOURCE: UN – WHO
