World Hand Hygiene Day 2019

World Hand Hygiene Day is celebrated on May 05, 2019. The day is declared by the WHO (World Health Organization) to encourages patients as well as their family members to join health workers to practice good hand hygiene. According to the World Health Organization, every year, thousands of patients are globally affected by healthcare-associated infections. Around half of these infections could be prevented by properly cleaning hands while patient care.

(People Also Like To Read:What is the Difference Between Antibiotic and Antimicrobial Resistance)

Importance of Hand Hygiene:

Hand hygiene is the act of cleaning hands with or without the use of water or other liquid, or with the use of soap, for the purpose of removing dirt, soil, and microorganisms. Medical hand hygiene concern to the hygiene practices associated with the administration of medical care that minimizes or prevents disease and the spreading of disease. The main medical purpose of washing hands is to cleanse the hands of bacteria or viruses and chemicals which can cause personal harm or disease.

Hand hygiene is equally important for people who handle food or work in the medical area, but it is also an important practice for the common public. People can become infected with respiratory illnesses like the common cold or influenza if they don’t wash their hands before touching their nose, eyes, or mouth

Hand Hygiene: Why, How & When?

WHY?

• Thousands of people die almost every day around the world from infections receive while accepting health care.

• Hands are the leading way of germ transmission during health care.

• Hand hygiene is one of the most important measures to avoid the transmission of harmful germs and prevent healthcare-associated infections.

WHO?

Any health-care worker or person who involved in the patient care directly or indirectly needs to be concerned about hand hygiene and should do it correctly and at the right time.

HOW?

• Clean your hands by rubbing them with an alcohol-based rub, as for routine hygienic hand antisepsis if hands are not visibly soiled then it is more effective, faster and better tolerated by your hands than washing with soap.

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water when hands are visibly soiled or visibly dirty with blood or other body fluids or after using the toilet.

Source: World Health Organization (WHO)

(People Also Like To Read:Gaming Disorder Is a Real Mental Health Condition: Know Why?)