On September 17, 2021, the Ministry of Health of Russia, together with Roszdravnadzor and in cooperation with the WHO Representative Office in Russia, are planning events dedicated to World Patient Safety Day.

For World Patient Safety Day 2021, the topic “Safety in Care for Mothers and Newborns” was chosen due to the high risk and harm burdens women and newborns face from unsafe childbirth care. This problem has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to disruptions in the provision of basic health care due to interrupted supply chains, lack of access for women to receive the health care they need, and a shortage of qualified healthcare professionals.

It is important to note that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, about 810 women and 6,700 newborns died every day, with the causes of this death most often occurring in the perinatal period (WHO data). In addition, there are about 2 million stillbirths registered every year, with more than 40% during the process of childbirth. In most cases, these deaths and stillbirths may be avoided by ensuring that safe and quality care is provided by qualified healthcare workers who, in turn, have a favorable working environment.

The following slogan was chosen for the information campaign: “It’s time to take urgent measures to ensure a safe and dignified birth!” This slogan calls on all stakeholders to accelerate efforts aimed at ensuring a safe and dignified birth.

Information about the World Patient Safety Day is posted on the website of the WHOthe Ministry of Health of Russia and Roszdravnadzor in the relevant sections.

The administration of the university invites representatives of students and the academic teaching staff to take part in the All-Russian Olympiad in Healthcare Safety, which will be held on September 17 as part of the events dedicated to the Patient Safety Day, as well as to take part in an Interactive survey of patients and medical workers on topical safety issues.