Theme: Safe care for every newborn and every child
Slogan: Patient safety from the start!
Date: 17 September 2025

World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) is observed annually on 17 September, as established by the World Health Assembly resolution WHA72.6. It serves as a global call to action, uniting patients, families, health workers, policymakers, and civil society to advance patient safety worldwide.

The 2025 campaign focuses on safeguarding our youngest patients, newborns and children by ensuring that safety is prioritized right from the start of life. This year’s theme, “Safe care for every newborn and every child”, recognizes the urgent need to eliminate preventable harm in paediatric and neonatal health care settings.

Newborns and children face disproportionately high risks of harm in health care, especially in intensive care units, surgical settings, and during medication administration. Research shows that up to 97% of adverse events in neonatal care are preventable, and many such harms stem from unsafe childbirth, infections, diagnostic delays, and medication errors. Studies report rates of adverse events as high as 91.6% in paediatric intensive care settings and up to 53.8% in general care settings.

By prioritizing child-centred safety, we can save lives and strengthen lifelong health outcomes. The 2025 campaign calls for stronger clinical safety standards, better training for health workers, and more effective systems for reporting, learning, and family engagement.

1. Raise global awareness of the safety challenges in paediatric and newborn care.
2. Mobilize stakeholders to implement policies, training, and systems that reduce preventable harm to children.
3. Empower families and children to participate actively in health care decisions and safety education.
4. Promote research and innovation in child and newborn safety practices, especially in high-risk settings.