About one in six people with noncommunicable diseases experiences preventable harm while receiving care, according to a new WHO analysis cited by Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Geneva on September 16. The warning came ahead of World Patient Safety Day on September 17, which this year focuses on safe care for these conditions.
WHO's campaign includes cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory illnesses. These conditions affect people of all ages and often require lifelong care. The agency says repeated contact with health services and living with several chronic conditions increase patients' exposure to safety risks over time.
Tedros said delayed diagnoses, incorrect medicines, unsafe procedures and communication failures can have fatal consequences. As populations age and more people live longer with chronic illness, he said, protecting patients throughout their care becomes increasingly important.
He described the new estimate as roughly three times the estimated harm rate among people receiving care for any reason. Separately, WHO's campaign says about one in ten patients overall suffers harm, around half of it preventable. The briefing did not provide the new analysis's methods or study population, limiting direct comparisons between these figures.
Joint Commission International also supports this year's campaign, emphasizing better coordination and fewer avoidable injuries throughout treatment. Its campaign materials describe chronic diseases as affecting billions worldwide and requiring sustained contact with health systems, making safety a shared responsibility for institutions, clinicians, patients and caregivers.
WHO is calling for safety measures from prevention and early diagnosis through treatment, long-term management and self-care. Its campaign urges stronger primary care, support for health workers and meaningful patient participation. Governments, health leaders and civil society are among those Tedros called on to help turn safer care into routine practice.
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