17 September 2025
Every child has the right to safe, quality health care — from the very beginning. Yet, newborns and young children face higher risks due to their rapid development, evolving health needs and different disease patterns. They rely on adults to speak up and make decisions for them. Children may also face added challenges depending on their socio-economic circumstances, such as not being able to get the care they need. These factors make them more susceptible to harm if care isn’t specifically adapted to their age, size, health condition and context.
A single safety incident can have lifelong consequences for a child’s health and development. That’s why World Patient Safety Day 2025 is dedicated to ensuring safe care for every newborn and child, with a special focus on those from birth to nine years old. This year’s slogan, “Patient safety from the start!â€, emphasizes the urgent need to act early and consistently to prevent harm throughout childhood, and yield benefits across the life course.
WHO calls on parents, caregivers, health practitioners, health care leaders, educators and communities, to unite in action to prevent avoidable harm in paediatric care and to build a safer, healthier future for every child, as part of the global effort to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.
