Chandigarh:
“ Nothing can beat the watchful eyes of a healthcare professional when it comes to patient safety. Technology can assist us, but it cannot replace human observation, alertness and clinical judgement at the bedside,”
stated Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, while speaking as the Chief Guest at the inaugural session of the Institute’s observance of World Patient Safety Day 2026 at PGIMER today.
The inaugural programme, held at the Auditorium of the Advanced Eye Centre, PGIMER, brought together faculty members, residents, students, nursing staff and healthcare professionals from different disciplines. The programme was attended by Prof. Sanjay Jain, Dean (Academics) and Chairperson, Institute Patient Safety Committee; Prof. Vijay K. Goni, Acting Medical Superintendent; and Dr. Mahesh Devnani, Nodal Officer, Patient Safety, Department of Hospital Administration , among others.
Prof. Lal emphasised that the first principle of medicine—do no harm—lies at the heart of patient safety. Cautioning against excessive dependence on technology and gadgets, Director PGIMER said, “ If we believe that AI alone is going to promote patient safety, we may be overlooking the most important safeguard—the watchful healthcare professional.”
Recalling an incident from his internship in 1986–87, when a large number of trauma victims were expected at a civil hospital in Punjab, Prof. Lal said a senior surgeon had taught him that “ the first casualty during an acute event is logical thinking.” He was assigned to stand outside the emergency department and ensure that incoming victims were directed correctly. “ That day I learnt that in patient safety, small things are often the big things,” he said.
Prof. Lal also recalled a 27-year-old trauma patient whose vital parameters appeared relatively reassuring, but whose sweating caught the attention of the senior surgeon. Further exploration revealed a ruptured spleen and the patient recovered. “ A normal blood pressure or a reassuring monitor does not always tell the whole story. We must learn to notice those signs,” he said.
Calling for a stronger culture of prevention, Prof. Lal said, “What is truly unpredictable may not be in our hands, but what is preventable must be prevented.” He stressed that patient safety extends beyond major clinical interventions to everyday practices including correct prescriptions, patient identification, sterilised linen, safe food, documentation, communication and proper handovers.
“ A proper handover is a mandate. Take the resident to the bedside, explain the patient’s problems and ensure that the information is understood. Every member of the healthcare team is part of this ecosystem of care,” Prof. Lal underlined.
“ Keep your watchful eyes open in the wards. The strongest layer of patient safety is the alert, responsible and compassionate healthcare professional ,” Prof. Lal said in conclusion.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Sanjay Jain, Dean (Academics) and Chairperson, Institute Patient Safety Committee said that every patient enters a hospital with the expectation of getting better and healthcare professionals must ensure that treatment does not inadvertently cause additional harm.
“ If we cannot always cure, the least we can do is ensure that we do not create another problem or disease. That is at the core of patient safety ,” he said.
Highlighting medication safety, Prof. Jain recalled an instance involving a look-alike, sound-alike medication, where a patient was receiving a different drug from the one intended.
“ We must never presume that whatever we are doing is right. We have to keep our eyes and ears open and verify what the patient is actually receiving,” he said.
Prof. Jain emphasised that patient safety is a collective responsibility involving doctors, nurses, technicians, radiologists, support staff and every other person contributing to patient care. “ Healthcare has become extremely complex. Patient safety cannot be managed by one group alone,” he said.
Prof. Jain added that the quality of healthcare is reflected not only through sophisticated infrastructure but also through simple indicators such as patient falls, medication errors, correct patient identification and safe blood transfusion practices.
“ The purpose of observing Patient Safety Day is to recognise these risks and reduce preventable harm . All of us must work together to provide patients with an environment that is healthier and safer, so that a patient who comes to us goes home with a smile,” Prof. Jain said.
Dr. Mahesh Devnani, Nodal Officer, Patient Safety, said that safe practices must become an integral part of everyday clinical systems. “ Standardised processes, effective communication, infection control, medication safety, safe surgery and continuous monitoring are essential for reducing preventable risks and building reliable healthcare systems,” he said.
The technical programme comprised a series of expert sessions addressing critical aspects of patient safety. The session on “Medication Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance” was delivered by Prof. Nusrat Shafiq, Department of Pharmacology highlighting the importance of safe medication practices and responsible antimicrobial use.
This was followed by a session on “Safe Transfusion Practices” by Dr. Hari Krishan Dhawan , Department of Transfusion Medicine focusing on measures to ensure safe and appropriate blood transfusion.
Dr. Mahesh Devnani, Department of Hospital Administration, addressed “ Infection Prevention and Control, and Safe Biomedical Waste Management Practices,” emphasising the role of systematic infection-control measures and responsible biomedical waste management in maintaining a safe healthcare environment.
The programme resumed with a session on “ Surgical Safety” delivered by Prof. L. Kaman, Department of General Surgery, focusing on measures to minimise risks and ensure safety across the surgical-care pathway.
The programme concluded with a Panel Discussion on the theme of World Patient Safety Day 2026, “ Safe Care for Noncommunicable Diseases,”. The discussion focused on patient-safety challenges in the prevention, diagnosis and long-term management of noncommunicable diseases, which require continuous and coordinated care.
The panel was chaired by Prof. Arun Aggarwal, Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, and included Prof. A. N. Aggarwal, Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Prof. Manisha Biswal, Department of Medical Microbiology, with Prof. Shankar Prinja, Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health, as Moderator.
The programme highlighted that patient safety is a shared responsibility requiring coordinated efforts across clinical, diagnostic, nursing, technical, administrative and support services.
