New Delhi, September 18: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare marked World Patient Safety Day 2026 at the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW) here on Thursday, built around this year’s theme of safe care for non-communicable diseases.
Policymakers, healthcare leaders, public health experts, clinicians, quality managers and representatives from states and union territories attended the event.
Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary and Mission Director of the National Health Mission, told the gathering that “patient safety cannot be the responsibility of a single programme or department.” She said safety practices need to be built into the health system as a whole, particularly around how non-communicable diseases are prevented, diagnosed, treated and managed.
Nearly two in three deaths now linked to NCDs
The ministry cited government data showing that non-communicable diseases account for close to 63 per cent of all deaths in India. It also pointed to figures from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) showing that 96 per cent of immunisations and 90.6 per cent of institutional deliveries in the country now happen through public health facilities.
A March 2027 deadline and state-level models
As part of its quality push, the ministry has set a target of certifying all Ayushman Aarogya Mandir-Sub Health Centres under the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) by March 2027.
The event also highlighted state-led efforts on patient safety: Jharkhand’s geriatric screening model, Kerala’s Hridhyaragam initiative, and Rajasthan’s SETU online referral application. The ministry said these, along with the NQAS and the National Patient Safety Implementation Framework, form the backbone of its broader push on patient safety.