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!”. Noncommunicable diseases are long-term conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, that can affect people of all ages and often require ongoing care throughout life.

Globally, 1 in 10 patients is harmed during health care, with around half of this harm being considered preventable. People living with NCDs are particularly vulnerable to harm due to the long-term nature of their conditions, ongoing treatment needs and frequent interactions with health systems. This repeated exposure increases the likelihood of harm over time.

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. 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 highlights the importance of engaging people with lived experience in the design and delivery of NCD services and in their own care.

For more information, please visit the WHO World Patient Safety Day 2026 web page.