World Patient Safety Day

By Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia

World Patient Safety Day, marked annually on 17 September, calls for global solidarity and concerted action by all countries and international partners to improve patient safety. This year it is dedicated to ensuring safe care for every newborn and child, with the theme "Safe care for every newborn and every child", and the slogan "Patient safety from the start!" Missed diagnoses, unsafe delivery practices, gaps in vaccination safety, and poor oxygen therapy protocols can mean the difference between life and death. That is why patient safety must begin with a child's first breath.

Over the past decade, our South-East Asia Region has achieved the largest reduction globally in under-five and newborn mortality. Yet, challenges remain. Every day, approximately 1500 babies in their first month die, accounting for nearly 60% of all under-five deaths in our region.

Despite rising institutional deliveries, the pace of early neonatal mortality reduction has slowed, largely due to poor quality of care. 2.3 million newborns die each year around the world, and approximately 15% of these deaths are due to sepsis. A significant share of these are in our region. In South Asia, culture-positive neonatal sepsis averages 15.8 per 1,000 live births, with a case fatality rate of 34%. The Lancet Commission on High-Quality Health Systems estimates that 60% of newborn deaths could be avoided through quality care that ensures safety, cleanliness, and respect.

I am pleased to note that WHO is working closely with Member States, partners, and communities to ensure safety for every newborn and child through:

• Strengthening maternal, neonatal, and pediatric safety protocols at all levels of health facilities
• Training and practical tools to help health workers detect early signs of infection, deterioration, and unsafe practices
• Reinforcing clean, safe delivery practices to reduce risks from the very first moments of life
• Promoting safe medicines and reliable blood supplies for mothers and children through stronger systems and oversight, and
• Engaging families and caregivers as active partners in making care safer and more accountable.

Our key messages for World Patient Safety Day 2025:

Children aren't small adults. They require individualized safe care.

Children need care that fits them-their age, weight, developmental stage, medical needs, ability to communicate and specific context.

Safety first, always and in every health care setting.

Children are most at risk in intensive care and during complex treatments. Protecting them from unsafe care must come first.

The most common causes of harm are known.

These include errors with medications and diagnosis, infections caught during care, problems with medical equipment, such as tubes or monitors, and missed warning signs when a child's condition starts getting worse.

Safer care depends on safe systems and teamwork.

Well-designed systems, supported staff and engaged caregivers keep children safe. Every voice counts.

It is up to us to embrace these messages and turn awareness into action.

No child should be harmed by the care intended to heal them. Let us all work to make safe, high-quality care the norm for every newborn and child, to protect them in their earliest and most vulnerable moments.