On the occasion of World Patient Safety Day 2025, observed on September 17, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) called on governments, health professionals, and communities across the Americas to prioritize safe and equitable care for newborns and children. Under the theme “Patient safety from the start!”, the campaign aims to raise awareness and reduce risks associated with pediatric and neonatal medical care. It highlights the heightened vulnerabilities of children in healthcare settings due to their rapid development, specific medical needs, and dependence on caregivers and health systems.
PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa emphasized that every newborn and child deserves high-quality care from the very first moment of life. Preventable errors, including medication mistakes, misdiagnoses, and healthcare-associated infections, pose significant threats to child health and development. The organization called for closing these gaps and strengthening health systems to safeguard the most vulnerable populations.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, more than 8.9% of live births in 2020—over 800,000 babies—were premature or small for gestational age, increasing their risk of conditions such as sepsis, congenital anomalies, and intrapartum complications. Neonatal mortality accounts for over half of child deaths in the region, with prematurity and sepsis among the leading causes. Ensuring around-the-clock hospital care, continuous staff training, and active family involvement is critical, alongside simple preventive measures promoted by PAHO, such as handwashing, antenatal steroids, and skin-to-skin contact.
PAHO has also advanced regional strategies to combat sepsis. At its 61st Directing Council in October 2024, the organization adopted the “Strategy and Plan of Action to reduce the burden of sepsis (2025–2029),” which emphasizes awareness-raising, infection prevention, hospital hygiene, and equitable access to diagnosis and care for vulnerable populations. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that one in ten patients experiences harm in healthcare settings, much of which is preventable, with children being particularly at risk.
To mark World Patient Safety Day, PAHO will host a regional webinar on September 23 featuring experts from Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, the United States, and Caribbean countries. The session will cover best practices in child patient safety, digital health, neonatal sepsis prevention, and engaging parents as active partners in care. Additionally, iconic monuments worldwide will light up in orange on September 17, symbolizing a collective commitment to safe care from the very start of life, with WHO’s Jet d’Eau in Geneva leading the global campaign.
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