WHO urges public to achieve ‘effective hand hygiene’ on World Hand Hygiene Day

The World Health Organization (WHO) called on everyone to “achieve effective hand hygiene action at the point of care, and universal health coverage (UHC)” on World Hand Hygiene Day (May 5) this year.

The WHO pointed out that infection prevention and control, including hand hygiene, is critical in achieving UHC as it is a “practical and evidence-based approach with demonstrated impact on quality of care and patient safety across all levels of the health system.”

“The point of care refers to the place where three elements come together: the patient, the health care worker, and care or treatment involving contact with the patient or their surroundings,” the WHO explained.

The organization advised that hand hygiene must be performed “when it is needed, and in the most effective way by using the right technique with readily available products.”

“The central core of ‘SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands’ is that all health-care workers should clean their hands at the right time and in the right way,” the organization said.

The campaign also supports health care workers in improving their hand hygiene that helps in the prevention of the spread of bacteria through the hands.  

Hand hygiene is one of the most effective and significant actions to reduce the spread of COVID-19 as the world battles with the pandemic.

The SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands global campaign was launched in 2009, and is celebrated annually on May 5. It aims to “maintain global promotion, visibility, and sustainability of hand hygiene in health care, to ‘bring people together’ in support of hand hygiene improvement around the world.” (WHO)/NGS-jlo

Popular

Corruption issues won’t affect PH chairship of ASEAN 2026 —PBBM

By Brian Campued President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday stressed that local political issues of any member state will not overshadow the regional and...

PH to raise South China Sea Code of Conduct as 2026 ASEAN chair —PBBM

By Brian Campued The Philippines is in the process of putting together the different elements where it believes the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)...

ASEAN, China sign free trade upgrade

By Brian Campued President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday joined fellow leaders at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the signing of...

PBBM notes maritime cooperation as key for regional peace, stability

By Brian Campued Citing the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel as well as the ongoing tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and the...