In recognition of World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) 2025, the Taiwan Patient Safety Culture Club (TPSCC) successfully hosted the 5th Annual Walk for Patient Safety and Lighting Event on Friday, September 12, 2025, at Wenxin Forest Park and the Fulfillment Amphitheater in Taichung, Taiwan. This vibrant community event brought together nearly 1,000 participants, including healthcare professionals, volunteers, caregivers, and patient safety enthusiasts from major healthcare institutions across Taiwan, to promote awareness of patient safety and to advance a culture of health and prevention.

This year, World Patient Safety Day (September 17th of each year) is centered on the theme “Safe Care of Every Newborn and Every Child,” accompanied by the slogan “Patient Safety from the Start!”. The theme highlights the need to protect newborns and children from preventable harm in healthcare. Because babies are especially vulnerable in any medical setting, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for a worldwide effort to make patient safety a priority from day one. Around the globe, the campaign will include national awareness events, social media initiatives, and the lighting of landmarks in orange to show a united commitment to safer care for all children.

This event in Taichung, the central part of Taiwan, featured the Walk for Patient Safety, a symbolic 1.2 km community walk around Wenxin Forest Park, and concluded with the Lighting Ceremony at the Fulfillment Amphitheater, where the landmark was illuminated in orange to represent hope and unity in the global fight to reduce preventable harm in healthcare. Complementing the walk was a lively Family Activity Zone with interactive games, a Folk Music Mini-Concert featuring well-known folk singers in Taiwan, and giveaways for participants.

“Patient safety begins the moment life begins. Every newborn, every child, and every family deserves care that is free from preventable harm. Mistakes and preventable errors still occur, despite advancements in medicine, which reminds us why a strong culture of safety is essential. By walking together, we are not only raising awareness, we are turning the awareness into action, and we are building a culture of safety that will protect the most vulnerable among us for generations to come,” shared Dr. Ming-I Chan Liao, M.D., Ph.D., reflecting on this year’s event.

Dr Ming-I Chan Liao, founder of the Taiwan Patient Safety Culture Club (TPSCC) and Patients for Patient Safety Taiwan (PFPS TW), has been a leading advocate for patient safety in Taiwan for over 13 years. This year marks the fifth “Walk for Patient Safety,” a signature event he organizes to raise public awareness about the importance of safe healthcare. Beyond the annual walk, he has led numerous initiatives – running training programs and national conferences to public film screenings – all aimed at empowering patients and their families to speak up and actively contribute to a safer healthcare system in Taiwan. As a result of these efforts, TPSCC has been awarded the 27th Symbol of National Quality (SNQ) Certificate in the Public Welfare Service Category, which is the highest recognition possible in Taiwan.

Since 2020, the Walk for Patient Safety and Light Up the Landmark in Orange (National Taichung Opera House, Kenan Bridge, etc.) have grown into a hallmark event in Taiwan, inviting both the public and healthcare institutions to embrace a culture of patient safety. By combining education with interactive activities and community engagement, this year’s event showed that patient safety is not just a responsibility for hospitals; it’s something that can involve everyone. The lighting ceremony, family zones, and educational displays all highlight Taiwan’s continued commitment to the WHO’s global mission to reduce preventable harm.

TPSCC invites the public and healthcare organizations to learn more about patient safety initiatives and join future campaigns at https://ptsafetyclub.org/.