By Atoyebi Nike
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that unsafe medical care is a leading cause of child mortality and long-term disability, especially in the early stages of life.
Marking World Patient Safety Day 2025 under the theme “Patient safety from the start”, WHO said harmful incidents affect up to one in two children admitted to hospital wards and up to nine in ten in intensive care units. It listed medication errors, infections, surgical complications, and medical device failures as the most common risks.
The organisation stressed that over 50% of patient harm is preventable and urged governments to prioritise child safety in health strategies. “From birth through childhood, every child deserves a safe start,” it stated.
