Safe care for life!
World Patient Safety Day brings together governments, partners and communities to focus attention on patient safety and accelerate action to reduce avoidable harm in health care.
In 2026, the campaign focuses on safe care for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), with the slogan “Safe care for life!”. People living with NCDs often require continuous care across multiple settings and over long periods, creating multiple points where safety risks can arise — from prevention and diagnosis to treatment, long-term management and self-care. These risks are also influenced by health system challenges and the broader determinants of health.
Improving safety in NCD care requires addressing risks related to the complexity of care, strengthening health systems through a primary health care approach and tackling wider determinants that can increase the risk of harm. The campaign also highlights the importance of engaging people with lived experience in the design and delivery of NCD services and in their own care.
In this regard, WHO convened a working group discussion with lived experience and health workforce experts to support the development of the global communication campaign. 12 experts representing all WHO regions attended the consultation in early March, 2026. Key insights included recognizing people living in NCDs as partners rather than patients, and positioning safe care as relevant across everyday life, not only within health care settings. Find out more on the workshop.
Objectives of World Patient Safety Day 2026
- Raise global awareness of patient safety challenges associated with NCDs across the continuum of care through a primary health care approach while considering disease-related factors, health system challenges and determinants of health that may increase the risk of harm.
- Promote the meaningful engagement of people living with NCDs and communities, in identifying safety risks and co-developing solutions with health practitioners, organizational leaders and policy-makers.
- Encourage stakeholders to integrate patient safety principles across NCD-related legislation, policies, strategies and programmes, with an emphasis on strengthening PHC-oriented health systems.
- Support health workers in strengthening patient safety practices such as safer diagnosis, medication safety and meaningful patient engagement.
Global movement for safer NCD care
Activities will take place worldwide on and around 17 September 2026 including awareness campaigns, policy dialogues, technical events and community-led initiatives. Lighting of landmarks and public spaces in orange on the day will continue, demonstrating global solidarity and commitment to safer care.
WHO invites all stakeholders to take part, organize events and help drive change.
For more information, please refer to theWorld Patient Safety Day 2026 announcement.
For further questions, please contact:patientsafety@who.int.
