World Patient Safety Day 2019
The first-ever World Patient Safety Day was observed on 17th September 2019 with the slogan “Speak Up for Patient Safety”. The theme of the World Patient Safety Day is ‘Patient Safety: a global health priority’.
World Patient Safety Day
The World Patient Safety Day has been launched by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a global campaign ‘Medication without Harm’. The day aims to create awareness around patient safety and urge people to show commitment to making healthcare safer.
Genesis of the World Patient Safety Day
The WHO member states from all 194 countries endorsed the establishment of a World Patient Safety Day to be observed annually on September 17 and included it officially WHO list of health dates.
The day aims to promote the common cause of safe-patient-centred healthcare
The World Patient Safety Day aims to mobilize patients and their families, health workers, policymakers, academicians, researchers, professional networks and the healthcare industry to speak up.
Significance of the Day
The World Health Organisation (WHO) data shows that:
- 134 million adverse events occur each year due to unsafe care in hospitals in low- and middle-income countries, contributing to 2.6 million deaths annually.
- 15% of hospital expenses can be attributed to treating patient safety failures in OECD countries.
- 4 out of 10 patients are harmed in the primary and ambulatory settings; up to 80% of harm in these settings can be avoided.
The Safety of patients during the provision of health services is of immense importance for strengthening healthcare systems and making progress towards effective universal health coverage under Sustainable Development Goal 3 (ensure healthy lives and promote health and well-being for all at all ages).
