World Patient Safety Day

Established by WHO in 2019, this day mobilizes global action to reduce patient harm in healthcare settings, focusing on reducing diagnostic errors and strengthening patient safety through better communication and use of data-driven tools.

The 2026 theme highlights safety gaps in the care of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which includes, but not limited to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease. Because NCDs account for the majority of global deaths, this day calls for stronger diagnostic accuracy, medication safety, and continuity of chronic care. WHO notes that people living with NCDs can face particular safety risks because their conditions often require long-term treatment and repeated interactions with healthcare systems.

• Safe care across the whole journey: patient safety matters from prevention and screening through diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, self-care and long-term management.
• Medication safety: reduce risks associated with complex treatment regimens, medication errors and transitions between different healthcare settings.
• Safer diagnosis: reduce diagnostic delays, missed diagnoses and other preventable sources of harm.
• Coordinated care: strengthen communication and continuity between healthcare professionals and across different care settings.
• Patient engagement: involve people living with NCDs as partners in identifying risks and improving their own care.
• Stronger health systems: support primary healthcare and health workers so that safe, quality care can be maintained over the long term.

• Patient safety
• Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)
• Avoidable harm
• Medication safety
• Diagnostic safety
• Continuity of care
• Chronic disease management
• Primary healthcare
• Patient engagement
• Health literacy
• Care coordination
• Quality of care
• Adverse events
• Healthcare-associated harm