17 September 2026—On World Patient Safety Day, WHPA is calling for urgent investment in health professionals to ensure people living with non-communicable diseases receive safe, coordinated care.
Billions of people worldwide live with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, oral diseases and mental health conditions. As the global burden of NCDs continues to grow, so does the need for health systems that can provide safe, high-quality care over the long term.
Addressing this burden of disease is a global priority: In September 2025, the United Nations adopted a political declaration on NCDs and mental health, calling for stronger prevention and long-term management of NCDs.
But for people living with long-term and often complex conditions, navigating treatment across multiple health professions, services and care settings can also increase the risk of harm. The World Health Organization estimates that around half of harm in healthcare is preventable.
Safe care cannot be achieved without a safe and supported health workforce. Adequate staffing levels, decent working conditions and meaningful support for health professionals’ wellbeing are essential to reducing risks for both patients and those providing care. Strong multidisciplinary teams are also critical to ensuring that care is coordinated, continuous and responsive to people’s needs.
On World Patient Safety Day, WHPA is urging governments to act: invest in health professionals, strengthen multidisciplinary teams and build health systems capable of delivering safe, coordinated care for everyone living with NCDs. Protecting patients means protecting the health workforce.