World Patient Safety Day: 17 September 2026
Authors: Sharon Namasambi1*, Pauline Achom1, Martha Dorcus Nalweyiso1, Patrick Pithua1 Institutional affiliation: 1Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda, *Correspondence: Email: nabsharon@uniph.go.ug; Tel: +256772511067
World Patient Safety Day is observed annually on 17 September to raise awareness of patient safety and promote actions that reduce preventable harm in healthcare settings.
The 2026 edition, under the theme “Safe care for noncommunicable diseases” and the slogan “Safe care for life!”, highlights the need to ensure safe, high-quality care for people living with noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases.
The commemoration emphasizes strengthening health systems, improving medication and diagnostic safety, supporting health workers, and engaging patients as partners in their care to reduce harm across the continuum of care.
Governments, health institutions, healthcare workers, patients, and communities are encouraged to champion patient safety practices and work collaboratively to ensure that no one is harmed while receiving care for noncommunicable diseases
