
Patient Safety Rights Charter
Event Report: WHO Patient Safety Rights Charter
The World Patients Alliance (WPA) successfully hosted a webinar focusing on the WHO Patient Safety Rights Charter, an initiative that affirms patient safety as a fundamental human right. The webinar served as a platform to unite global healthcare leaders, patient advocates, and stakeholders to deliberate on the Charter’s importance and its role in fostering equitable, safe, and accountable healthcare delivery worldwide.
The event commenced with a welcome address and introduction by Helen Haskell, Chair of the WPA Patient Safety & Quality Council. Helen set the stage by explaining the critical role of charters in promoting patient rights globally. She emphasized the WPA’s mission to empower patients to play a proactive role in demanding safe and equitable care.
The first keynote presentation, delivered by Dr. Ashok Philip, President of the World Medical Association, offered a physician’s perspective on patient rights. Dr. Philip drew connections between patient safety, ethical medical practice, and historical milestones like the Declaration of Lisbon. He underscored the significance of patient autonomy, access to quality care, and the ethical obligation of healthcare providers to act in patients’ best interests.
Dr. Ayda Taha, Technical Officer at WHO’s Patient Safety Flagship, presented an in-depth overview of the WHO Patient Safety Rights Charter. Dr. Taha highlighted the Charter’s development, objectives, and urgency, citing alarming statistics—1 in 10 patients are harmed due to unsafe care, resulting in over 3 million deaths annually. She outlined the Charter’s 10 patient safety rights, including access to safe care, dignity, respect, and information sharing. The Charter’s linkage to the broader human rights agenda reinforces its universal applicability, positioning patient safety as a non-negotiable element of healthcare delivery.
Regional insights were shared by Jolanta Bilinska, Founding Director of WPA, and Cecilia Nantume, Research and Policy Advocacy Consultant. Jolanta highlighted the evolution of patient rights in Poland and the EU, illustrating Poland’s transformation from a lack of confidentiality and informed consent during the communist era to the establishment of 12 fundamental patient rights in 2008. Despite progress, challenges like inadequate hospital conditions and low patient awareness persist. Meanwhile, Cecilia addressed the implementation of patient rights in Uganda, where rights such as informed consent exist but are hindered by systemic issues like funding constraints, enforcement gaps, and limited advocacy. She called for constitutional reforms and stronger stakeholder engagement to bridge these gaps.
Key Takeaways
1. Patient Safety is a Human Right: Patient safety is rooted in international human rights treaties and must be treated as a priority.
2. Global Adoption: The Charter must be implemented across countries, with adaptable frameworks for local healthcare systems.
3. Systemic Change: Addressing healthcare-related harm requires robust policies, accountability mechanisms, and monitoring systems.
4. Empowering Patients: Patients must be educated and actively engaged in healthcare processes to ensure their safety and dignity.
5. Regional Challenges: Issues like limited resources, low awareness, and poor enforcement impede patient safety in many regions.
Outcomes
The webinar successfully:
• Raised awareness of the WHO Patient Safety Rights Charter and its role in preventing patient harm.
• Highlighted regional challenges and opportunities for improving patient safety in both high-income and resource-limited settings.
• Reinforced a global commitment to advocate for the Charter’s adoption and implementation.
Recommendations
To promote patient safety worldwide, the following actionable recommendations emerged:
1. Adopt the Charter: Integrate its principles into national healthcare systems and policies.
2. Educate Patients and Providers: Conduct awareness campaigns to inform patients about their rights and train healthcare professionals on safety practices.
3. Strengthen Policies: Develop legislative frameworks to ensure compliance with patient safety standards.
4. Monitor and Evaluate: Implement systems to track progress, identify gaps, and drive continuous improvement.
5. Foster Collaboration: Enhance partnerships among governments, NGOs, and patient organizations to promote advocacy and knowledge sharing.
Conclusion
The webinar on the WHO Patient Safety Rights Charter underscored the critical need for global action to ensure safe, transparent, and patient-centered healthcare. By affirming patient safety as a fundamental right, the Charter serves as a blueprint for stakeholders to address healthcare-related harm and elevate standards of care worldwide. Stakeholders are now tasked with translating the Charter’s principles into action, ensuring every patient receives safe, dignified, and equitable healthcare.
In his closing remarks, Andrew Spiegel, Chair of the WPA, expressed his gratitude to all the speakers and the moderator for their insightful contributions and efforts in making the webinar a great success. He thanked everyone for their participation.
Agenda

Speakers



