World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) is marked annually on 17 September to increase public awareness and understanding of patient safety, and drive action to make health care safer.
In recognition of the vulnerability of newborns and children to patient safety risks, this year’s theme is ‘Safe care for every newborn and every child.’ World Patient Safety Day 2025 aims to drive meaningful improvements and reaffirm every child’s right to safe and quality care.
Under the slogan ‘Patient safety from the start!,’ the World Health Organization calls for urgent action to end avoidable harm in paediatric and newborn care. This requires concerted efforts across key paediatric and newborn safety areas such as safe childbirth and postnatal care, medication safety, diagnostic safety, immunization safety, infection prevention and early recognition of clinical deterioration. The scope of the campaign covers children aged 0 to 9 years.
Working together to make health care safer
Join a range of activities on and around 17 September to celebrate World Patient Safety Day and promote safer health care for newborns and children worldwide. Suggested activities include:
- The signature mark of the campaign – Lighting up of monuments in orange
- Collaborating with local influencers and celebrities
- Engaging schoolchildren, teachers, and educators
- Engaging health workers at all levels
- Engaging patients, community and civil society organizations, families, and parents
- Developing technical resources and training packages
- Organizing awareness-raising events
- Launching social media campaigns
- Hosting policy dialogues
For additional information, visit the WPSD 2025 event page, available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
