Jakarta, 17 September 2025 – On World Patient Safety Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) are highlighting the urgent need to make health care in Indonesia safer for children from birth to nine years old under the call to action: “Patient safety from the start!”
Globally, 1 in 10 patients is harmed while receiving medical treatment, and more than 3 million people die each year due to unsafe care. In low- and middle-income countries, the impact is even more severe, with up to 4 in every 100 people dying from unsafe care. Alarmingly, more than 50% of this harm is preventable.
Children are at heightened risk because their bodies are still developing and they often cannot explain what they feel when something is wrong. Common challenges include inadequate pediatric-specific safety protocols, poor drug quality control, limited paediatric specialist care, and a failure to involve children and families as active care participants. Rural-urban inequities exacerbate these gaps and put the most vulnerable children at even greater risk of unsafe care.
“Children cannot speak up when something goes wrong,” said Dr N. Paranietharan, WHO Representative to Indonesia. “Access to safe, effective and good-quality medicines and care is not a luxury, it’s a basic right. WHO will continue to support the Ministry of Health and work with partners to build a strong, safe and equitable health system that works for everyone, of every age.”
Indonesia has in recent years made strong progress. Between 2010 and 2023, improvements in the quality and safety of health care – including for newborns and children – contributed to a 39% reduction in both neonatal and under 5 mortality. Between 2010 and 2022, mortality for children aged 5 to 9 fell by just over 32%.
Since 2006, Indonesia has implemented a national reporting system for patient safety incidents, and in 2024, the Ministry of Health expanded its review of maternal and newborn deaths to strengthen accountability and child protection. Since 2022, the National Regulatory Authority (BPOM) has enforced stricter market controls and introduced new good manufacturing and distribution practice requirements for active ingredients and excipients.
To build on these improvements and ensure every child in Indonesia has access to safe, good-quality care, four priorities stand out.
First, unlocking the full potential of paediatric services, including by applying WHO guidance across the full continuum of care. Expanding school health screening – especially for children aged 5–9 – and linking it with SATUSEHAT for referral and outcome tracking will further strengthen early detection and follow-up of issues such as stunting, vision and hearing loss, developmental delays and chronic conditions.
Second, collecting and using better data to drive stronger results. Enhanced reporting systems – including systematic cause-of-death reviews – will create a clearer picture of where children are most at risk and why, helping to pinpoint service gaps, highlight inequities, guide resource allocation and create a culture of monitoring, evaluation and accountability.
Third, turning regulatory strength into safer care. Recent advances in good manufacturing and distribution practices, as well post-market surveillance and pharmacovigilance, must be paired with skilled health workers who ensure correct prescribing, dosing and child-friendly care. By aligning strong oversight with clinical practice, Indonesia can ensure that every child receives medicines and treatments that are not only effective, but also safe and appropriate for their age and needs.
Fourth, empowering families as active partners. By making health facilities more child- and family-centred, and by encouraging parents to stay informed, track treatments and participate in decisions, care can become safer, more responsive and more trusted.
“The safety of newborns is closely tied to maternal health and the safety of pregnancy and childbirth. And midwives play a key role here,” said Hassan Mohtashami, UNFPA Indonesia Representative. “Strengthening the competency of midwives would save the lives of women and newborns globally, and we can achieve this through high quality midwifery education that aligns with international standards and continuing professional development for midwives.”
WHO and UNFPA will continue to support the Ministry of Health in strengthening patient safety across the nation. With teamwork and commitment, Indonesia can ensure patient safety from the start.