World Hand Hygiene Day

Background

As part of a major global effort to improve hand hygiene in health care, led by World Health Organisation (WHO) to support health-care workers, the SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands annual global campaign was launched in 2009. 

Every year, May 5 is being celebrated as the World Hand Hygiene Day.

Theme for 2023 - Accelerate action together. SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands

Hand hygiene saves millions of lives every year when performed at the right moments during health care delivery. It is also a smart investment that offers exceptional return for each dollar invested. Clean care is a sign of respect to those who seek care, and it protects health and other workers who provide that care.  Hand hygiene saves millions of lives every year when performed at the right moments during health care delivery. It is also a smart investment that offers exceptional return for each dollar invested. Clean care is a sign of respect to those who seek care, and it protects health and other workers who provide that care. 

Now is a critical time when countries across the world need to accelerate implementation of lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and increase investments to close gaps in infection prevention and control (IPC), including hand hygiene. Indeed, many countries are demonstrating strong engagement and advancements in scaling-up those actions, but overall, the progress is slow, and gains are at risk. 

Campaign objectives

• Strengthen and empower communities of actors in health care to accelerate action to improve hand hygiene and infection prevention and control at point of care.
• Foster collaboration and working together of people and organizations towards the common goal of minimizing the risk of infections and the development of antimicrobial resistance in health care.

Source : WHO