The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare marked World Patient Safety Day 2026 at the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare in New Delhi. The event brought together health officials, doctors, and state representatives to discuss ways to make treatment safer for patients dealing with long-term illnesses. The focus was on non-communicable diseases, which account for nearly two-thirds of all deaths in India.
What was discussed
Smt. Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary and Mission Director of the National Health Mission under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, stressed that patient safety must be a shared responsibility across the entire health system, not just one department. She pointed out that nearly 63 per cent of deaths in India are caused by non-communicable diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer, making safe care essential.
The ministry highlighted recent public health achievements: 96 per cent of immunizations and 90.6 per cent of institutional deliveries are now happening in public health facilities. Officials called for strengthening quality practices, particularly in how patients are referred between hospitals and clinics and in continuing their treatment smoothly.
States and territories were asked to speed up quality improvement work. A key target mentioned was getting 100 per cent of Ayushman Aarogya Mandir Sub Health Centres certified under the National Quality Assurance Standards by March 2027, followed by certification of Primary Health Centres.
The event featured discussions on reducing harm in disease management, using digital health tools for safer care, handling patients with multiple illnesses at once, and managing medication safety. State leaders shared local examples: Jharkhand’s screening programme for elderly diabetic and high blood pressure patients, Kerala’s Hridhyaragam initiative for disease prevention, and Rajasthan’s online referral system called SETU.
Participants also took the National Patient Safety Pledge, committing to safer and better quality healthcare.
What this means for you
If you use public health facilities for treating chronic illnesses, the focus on safer practices should translate into better-coordinated care between different clinics and hospitals, fewer medication errors, and smoother transfers when you need specialist treatment. The push for quality certification across sub-centres and primary health centres means these facilities near your home will increasingly follow standardized safety practices. The emphasis on digital tools may eventually make it easier to access your medical records and get referrals faster.