Dr. Irina Papieva is a Technical Officer in the Quality of Care and Patient Safety Team at the World Health Organization (WHO) Headquarters in Geneva. Trained as a medical doctor and public health specialist, she brings nearly two decades of experience in strengthening health systems, with a focus on quality of care and patient safety. Since joining WHO in 2006, she has worked extensively with Member States across all WHO regions, providing strategic leadership and technical expertise to advance safer, higher-quality and people-centered healthcare. Her work supports countries across the policy-to-practice continuum, from developing national policies, strategies, and governance frameworks to strengthening organizational capabilities, leadership, workforce competencies, and implementation at the point of care.

In her current role, Dr. Papieva coordinates several flagship WHO initiatives, including the implementation of the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030, the Third WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge: Medication Without Harm, and the Global Patient Safety Collaborative. She chairs the WHO Quality of Care and Patient Safety Education and Training (QPSET) Network, Safety Culture Expert Group, co-chairs the Steering Committee of the Global Ministerial Summits on Patient Safety, and leads WHO’s work on leadership, safety culture and competency development. Through her work, she supports countries in translating global commitments and evidence into practical, sustainable improvements in quality of care and patient safety, within the broader context of health system strengthening for universal health coverage (UHC).