Global Ministerial Conference: Focus on patient safety!

Global Ministerial Conference: Focus on patient safety!

The 7th Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety took place in Manila, Philippines on April 3-4, 2025. This annual event, organized in collaboration with WHO since 2016, aims to discuss current challenges in patient safety. International experts and high-level political representatives attended the summit to promote exchanges and share best practices.

The contribution of Prof. Dr. Dr. Rainer Petzina, Rector and Professor for Patient Safety, Quality Management and Clinical Risk Management at the MSH Medical School Hamburg. He represented the university and presented best practice examples from the interdisciplinary and interprofessional MSH elective module program. He also introduced the MSH research institute ISPP Institute for Safety of Patients and Health Professionals, which focuses on improving patient safety.

Topics and goals of the summit

The theme of the summit was “Weaving Strengths for the Future of Patient Safety Across the Healthcare Continuum.” The aim was to shed light on the progress and milestones in establishing patient safety as a key component of resilient and fair healthcare systems. The conference also served as a platform to share knowledge, discuss best practices and explore strategies to address priority issues in patient safety.

A key outcome of previous ministerial summits was the adoption of the WHA resolution (WHA72.6) on global action on patient safety in May 2019. This resolution laid the foundation for the development of the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030, which provides strategic direction for supporting patient safety worldwide. WHO encourages Member States to make patient safety a priority in their health sectors.

Challenges and measures

Despite advances, patient safety remains a significant challenge in healthcare, characterized by preventable adverse events and errors. The Global Patient Safety Action Plan aims to eliminate avoidable harm and improve patient safety through targeted political measures. The vision is that all patients receive safe and respectful care.

The plan provides a framework for the development of national patient safety action plans and an opportunity to align existing strategic tools. A high-level forum for policymakers on implementing patient safety was held in February 2022 to support the global movement and initiate national action.

Overall, the 7th Global Ministerial Summit on Patient Safety is a decisive step to further advance the discussion about patient safety at a global level and to promote international cooperation. Initiatives like these help make the necessary progress in improving patient safety and increasing trust in global health systems. Those interested can find further information in the reports MSH Medical School Hamburg, WHO and WHO Patient Safety Action Plan.