Since 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) each year promotes the Save Lives: Clean Your Hands campaign in World Hand Hygiene Day on May 5^th.

This global movement aims to highlight the importance of hand hygiene in health care and to bring people together for Infection Prevention and Control to achieve universal health coverage and better health and well-being for all people at all ages.

Why wash your hands?

According to CDC, handwashing can prevent about 30% of diarrhea-related sicknesses and about 20% of respiratory infections.

Washing hands can not only prevent the spread of these infections but also reduce the overuse of antibiotics. By preventing the occurrence of these infections, you avoid the single most important factor leading to antibiotic resistance around the world. Handwashing can also prevent from antibiotic resistant bacteria that are difficult to treat.

When to wash your hands?

Germs usually spread between people or from surfaces to people. This occurs when people touch their eyes, nose, and mouth or prepare or eat food and drinks with unwashed hands. Also, when they cough or sneeze into their hands then touch other people or surfaces.

Therefore, it is recommended to wash hands often, especially:

• Before and after preparing or eating food
• Before and after caring for a sick person with vomiting or diarrhea
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the restroom
• After blowing your nose, sneezing, or coughing
• After changing diapers for a baby
• After touching an animal, feeding it or handling pet’s waste

The World Health Organization (WHO) also highlighted guidelines known as the “Five Moments for Hand Hygiene” to ensure patient safety. These include:

1. Before touching or coming into contact with a patient
2. Before performing a clean or aseptic procedure
3. After an exposure risk to bodily fluids and glove removal
4. After contact with a patient and their immediate surroundings
5. After touching an inanimate object in the patient’s immediate surroundings even if no direct patient contact

How to wash you’re your hands effectively?

Washing your hands is the most effective way to get rid of germs. Here are the steps to do it correctly:

First, rinse your hands with clean, running water and apply soap.

Second, rub your hands together with the soap and lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.

Then, rinse your hands well under clean, running water and dry your hands using a clean towel or an air dryer.

If soap is not available, you can use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

At ALMehwar Hospital we prioritize patient safety and recognize the importance of hand hygiene in infection control and prevention to achieve better health and well-being for all our patients, healthcare providers, staff and community. Don’t forget to wash your hands today.

ALMehwar Hospital also celebrated this day by organizing awareness activities targeting medical and administrative staff, as well as inpatients, to emphasize the importance of hand hygiene in infection prevention.
These efforts reflect the hospital’s ongoing commitment to promoting a culture of safety and delivering the highest standards of healthcare quality.