World Patient Safety Day 2026

World Patient Safety Day – one of the WHO’s global health days
 – has been observed on September 17 since 2019.

Address specific patient safety issues

“Behind every treatment there is a person –
patient safety protects their life.”

Dr Christian Deindl, Deputy Chair of the Alliance for Patient Safety (Aktionsbündnis Patientensicherheit e. V.)

Children are particularly vulnerable. This applies above all to their medical care. However, those responsible and decision-makers in the healthcare sector still too often view their safety as patients from an adult perspective. It is therefore all the more encouraging that the WHO’s theme for this year’s World Patient Safety Day is ‘Safe care for every newborn and every child’.
Accordingly, the Action Alliance for Patient Safety (APS) will focus this year’s event, held on the traditional World Patient Safety Day (WTPS) on 17 September, on the safe care of children – under the slogan: ‘Patient safety from childhood – an investment for life’.

Children do not decide for themselves which medical facility to attend or which treatment method to use in the event of illness. They must rely on the care of their legal guardians and the medical staff providing treatment and care. At the same time, the physical and psychological characteristics of children mean they should not be treated in a facility that lacks experience in dealing with children. This is because children experience a surgery or clinic differently from adult patients and are not always prepared for treatment situations that they may find unpleasant.

To mark this year’s World Patient Safety Day, we at APS would therefore like to reach out to all stakeholders and involve them in the discussion. We want to give a voice to parents, carers, and paediatricians and obstetricians. We want them to share their experiences and explain what, in their view, is working very well, moderately well, or less well in various areas. However, as APS, our aim is not merely to repeatedly highlight – often the same – shortcomings in the healthcare system, but also to showcase the predominantly positive aspects and successes, thereby specifically addressing systemic weaknesses and patient risks – not only in children.