English
EspañolWorld Patient Safety Day 2022
EVERY PERSON AROUND THE WORLD will, at some point in their life, take medications to prevent or treat illness. However, medications sometimes cause serious harm if incorrectly stored, prescribed, dispensed, administered or if monitored insufficiently. Medication harm accounts for 50% of the overall preventable harm in medical care. US$ 42 billion of global total health expenditure worldwide can be avoided if medication errors are prevented.
With medications as the most widely utilized interventions in health care, and medication-related harm constituting the greatest proportion of the total preventable harm due to unsafe care, it is in this context that "Medication Safety" has been selected as the theme of World Patient Safety Day 2022.
Acknowledging this substantial burden and recognizing the complexity of medication-related harm prevention and reduction, the campaign is envisaged to provide the needed impetus to consolidate the efforts of the existing WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge: Medication Without Harm, emphasizing the need to adopt a systems approach and promote safe medication practices to prevent medication errors and reduce medication-related harm. Special consideration will be given to areas where most harm occurs. The key action areas are high-risk situations, transitions of care, and polypharmacy.
Theme: Medication Safety Slogan: Medication Without Harm Call to action: Know. Check. Ask.Objectives
RAISE global awareness of the high burden of medication-related harm due to medication errors and unsafe practices, and ADVOCATE urgent action to improve medication safety.
ENGAGE key stakeholders and partners in the efforts to prevent medication errors and reduce medication-related harm.
EMPOWER patients and families to be actively involved in the safe use of medication.
SCALE UP implementation of the WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge: Medication Without Harm.
Learn more about medication without harm