health
World Hand Hygiene Day is celebrated today
World Hand Hygiene Day is celebrated today under the slogan "Action saves lives" and aims to maintain a high level of awareness about the importance of hand hygiene in healthcare globally, as well as to encourage and support the continuous improvement of practice at the local and national level, announced the Institute of Public Health of Serbia "Dr Milan Jovanovic Batut".
TL;DR
- World Hand Hygiene Day is celebrated with the slogan "Action saves lives" to promote hand hygiene in healthcare globally.
- The campaign aims to increase awareness and improve hand hygiene practices at local and national levels.
- Adequate hand hygiene is crucial for preventing and controlling infections, contributing to patient safety and quality of care.
- Hand hygiene can prevent up to 50% of healthcare-associated infections, which lead to longer hospital stays, poorer outcomes, and increased costs.
- Global reports indicate millions of healthcare-associated infections annually, some caused by resistant microorganisms.
- Hand hygiene is necessary before patient contact, before aseptic procedures, after contact with body fluids, after patient contact, and after contact with patient's surroundings.
- Gloves do not replace hand hygiene; hands should be washed or disinfected before and after glove use.
- Jewelry and long or artificial nails hinder proper hand hygiene and increase infection risk.
- Serbia joined the WHO patient safety initiative "Clean Care is Safer Care" in 2008.
- The Ministry of Health, Batut, and other health institutions are conducting activities for this campaign.