WHO stresses hand-washing, hygiene to reduce infection

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday, as it marked global Hand Hygiene Day that hand hygiene is the entrance door for reducing health care-associated infections and increasing patient safety. WHO said in a statement that, it has Saves Lives. It said that Clean Your Hands”, is an annual initiative to support health-care workers to improve hand hygiene, thereby supporting the prevention of often life-threatening infections associated with health care. It noted that the campaign aims to galvanize action at the point of care, as well as to demonstrate the world’s commitment to this area of health care. “Sustaining the efforts to improve patient safety requires dedicated action and innovation, both of which are now more crucial than ever,’’ it said. The statement said that, the campaign, which was launched in 2009, asked health facilities and other leaders to show their commitment for and take action on improving hand hygiene in health care. It also said this year’s focus on hand hygiene and support for safe surgical care, stressing the need for hand hygiene as part of an infection prevention and control programme in all settings that support surgery, prevent patient infection and reduce an avoidable burden on health systems. “As of the end of April, a total of 18,739 hospitals and health-care facilities in 176 countries have registered their commitment to hand hygiene as part of the campaign,” WHO said.