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World Patient Safety Day: 17th September
World Patient Safety Day 2025: A Call for Safe Care from the Start
World Patient Safety Day is celebrated annually on September 17 to raise global awareness and promote action for patient safety. The theme for World Patient Safety Day 2025 is "Safe care for every newborn and every child," with the slogan "Patient safety from the start!" This theme highlights the critical vulnerability of newborns and children to harm in healthcare and calls for urgent action to create safer systems and practices.
Why This Theme?
Children aren't just small adults; they have unique physiological and developmental needs that require specialized, tailored care. They often cannot speak for themselves or communicate when something is wrong, making them particularly susceptible to medical errors.
The decision to focus on pediatric and newborn care in 2025 is driven by alarming statistics: studies show a disproportionately high rate of adverse events in children, especially in high-risk settings like intensive care units. These incidents can have devastating, lifelong consequences for a child's health and development. Common causes of harm include:
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Medication errors: Incorrect dosing, which can be fatal for a small child.
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Infections acquired in the hospital: These can be particularly severe in a developing immune system.
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Diagnostic delays and errors: Misinterpreting symptoms in a child can lead to delayed or incorrect treatment.
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Surgical mistakes: A single error can have far-reaching effects.
By dedicating this year's campaign to the youngest patients, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners aim to draw attention to these preventable risks and drive meaningful change.
Key Objectives of the Campaign
The 2025 World Patient Safety Day campaign sets out several clear objectives to tackle this issue:
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Raise Global Awareness: The campaign seeks to inform the public and healthcare professionals about the specific safety risks newborns and children face.
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Mobilize Action: It calls on governments, healthcare organizations, and civil society to implement sustainable, evidence-based strategies to improve safety in pediatric care.
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Empower Patients and Families: The campaign aims to empower parents, caregivers, and children to become active participants in their own care by promoting education and encouraging them to ask questions and raise concerns.
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Advocate for Research: It advocates for more research on patient safety in pediatric and newborn care to better understand risks and develop effective solutions.
The ultimate goal is to reinforce every child's right to safe, quality care, ensuring that the fundamental principle of "first, do no harm" is upheld from the very beginning of life.
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