AIIMS Guwahati organised a conference to mark World Patient Safety Day 2026, centred on the theme “Safe Care for Noncommunicable Diseases” and the slogan “Safe Care for Life.” The programme was organised by the Quality and Patient Safety Committee in collaboration with the Department of Hospital Administration, AIIMS Guwahati.
The programme was attended virtually by Dr. Madhuri W. Barsagade, Additional Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
The distinguished gathering also included Prof. (Dr.) Nalin Mehta, Director, NEIGRIHMS as Chief Guest; Sherry Lalthangzo, IES, In-Charge Advisor (Health), Ex-Officio CEO, NERCEN as Guest of Honour; Dr. J. N. Srivastava, Patient Safety Consultant, JCI; and Dr. Raj Prabha Moktan, Director, RRC-NE, NHSRC, MoHFW, along with distinguished speakers, experts, faculty members, healthcare professionals and delegates.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Puranik, Executive Director, AIIMS Guwahati, emphasised that patient safety in the management of noncommunicable diseases—including cancer, hypertension, diabetes and stroke—must extend beyond the hospital visit. He highlighted that safe care requires timely diagnosis, appropriate treatment, medication safety, effective referral, rehabilitation and continuity of follow-up.
He particularly stressed the importance of ensuring that no patient is lost between screening, diagnosis, treatment, referral and follow-up, and underlined the need for coordinated systems that enable patients to receive safe and continuous care throughout their healthcare journey.
Prof. (Dr.) Puranik also highlighted the potential of telemedicine, digital health, preventive healthcare and coordinated AYUSH care in strengthening continuity of care, particularly for patients residing in the geographically challenging North-Eastern region.
A major highlight of the conference was the panel discussion on “Safe Care for Noncommunicable Diseases – Closing the Implementation Gap for Safer Care.” The conference featured sessions covering AI and Digital Health; Quality and Accreditation; AYUSH and NCD Prevention; Safe Care for NCDs; and Incident Reporting, along with key patient-safety domains including medication safety, diagnostic safety, transfusion safety, surgical safety, anaesthesia safety, medical-device safety and facility safety.
The Patient Safety Master Trainer’s Programmes for Doctors and Nursing Officers of District Hospitals and Medical Colleges for the North East States has also been launched officially during the conference.
AIIMS Guwahati organises conference on World Patient Safety Day 2026 with focus on safe care for noncommunicable diseases
