World Patient Safety Day 2025 takes place on 17 September and highlights the urgent need to make healthcare safer.
Led by the World Health Organization (WHO), this year’s theme, “Safe care for every newborn and every child”, focuses on protecting the youngest and most vulnerable patients. The slogan, “Patient safety from the start!”, urges everyone to make safe care a priority from the very first moments of life.
Newborns and children face higher risks of preventable harm during medical treatment. Mistakes in diagnosis, medication, infection control, or childbirth can cause lasting harm.
WHO reports that in the South-East Asia region, about 1,500 newborns die each day in their first month of life, which makes up nearly 60% of all under-five deaths in that region.
WHO calls on healthcare systems to strengthen safety protocols and protect every child from avoidable harm.
Despite increases in institutional deliveries, early neonatal mortality rates are no longer falling fast enough in many places. Poor quality of care—like unsafe delivery practices, gaps in vaccination safety, missed diagnoses, and weak oxygen therapy systems—plays a large role.
Globally, WHO estimates around 2.3 million newborn deaths per year. About 15% of those deaths result from sepsis, many of which are avoidable.
The campaign promotes four clear actions:
Raise Awareness: Educate healthcare workers, caregivers, and communities about risks to children’s safety.
Mobilize Action: Encourage governments, hospitals, and professional bodies to adopt safer practices and policies.
Empower Families: Help parents and caregivers ask questions, stay informed, and actively participate in their child’s care.
Support Research: Expand studies on pediatric and neonatal safety to find evidence-based solutions.
This year’s focus builds on previous global efforts to improve patient safety, including safer childbirth practices, better infection prevention, and medication safety initiatives. Collaboration among healthcare workers, policymakers, and researchers drives innovation and improves care quality.
Countries worldwide are marking the day with public events, training programs, and campaigns. Landmarks will light up in orange, symbolizing the commitment to safer care for newborns and children.
Patient safety starts with teamwork. Policymakers, health professionals, parents, and communities must work together to protect children. By making healthcare safer from the very beginning, we create a stronger and healthier future for the next generation.
Reference
1. World Health Organization. “World Patient Safety Day, 17 September 2025: ‘Safe care for every newborn and every child.’” South-East Asia Regional Office. September 17, 2025. WHO.
(Rh/Eth/ARC/MSM)