In 2008, the UN General Assembly made a decision to hold World Hand Hygiene Day annually in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
In terms of outbreaks of new influenza and coronavirus (COVID-19) in the world, the need for personal hygiene, particularly hand washing, is among the top preventative measures.
This year the WHO motto is: “Seconds save lives. Wash your hands.”
Hand hygiene remains a topical issue in the health care systems of many advanced countries. According to the latest data from medicine, the hands of medical workers are practically the main factor in the transmission of nosocomial infections.
Therefore, every healthcare professional should know the rules of hand hygiene, and the heads of medical care providers should know how to effectively organize the system of these important measures. Modern scientific research has shown that hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to prevent nosocomial infections, including coronavirus (COVID-19), in healthcare providers.
According to the WHO, there are 14 million cases of nosocomial infections worldwide each year, 40-80% of which are transmitted by hand.
Important ‘five moments’ of hand hygiene, which should be followed especially:
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before touching the patient.
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before pure aseptic procedures (for example, before inserting catheters).
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after contact with biological fluids.
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after touching the patient.
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after touching objects around the patient.
Proper hand hygiene is a guarantee of safety for medical staff and patients.
