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Every year on May 5, the World Health Organization (WHO) leads the SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands campaign to highlight one of the simplest yet most important health actions, cleaning our hands properly. This isn’t just good habit advice, it’s a public health imperative.
Despite progress, many avoidable infections acquired during healthcare could be prevented through effective hand hygiene and strong infection prevention and control (IPC). These infections contribute to patient, family, and healthcare worker (HCW) suffering, antimicrobial resistance, and higher health care costs.
Good hand hygiene is not just about soap and water. It’s about acting at the right moments, using the right technique, and building systems that make hand hygiene the norm, not the exception.
This year’s theme, “Action Saves Lives”, emphasizes the ongoing need to:
Consistent hand hygiene depends on enabling systems including reliable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, as well as access to alcohol-based hand rub. These systems make it possible for HCWs and communities to practice hand hygiene every day. Hand hygiene and IPC best practices are also influenced by the surrounding environment, Gaps in WASH infrastructure can affect safety, equity and dignity among both those providing and receiving care.
You don’t have to be a health worker to act:
Hand hygiene is simple, and when everyone practices it properly and consistently, it prevents infections, protects communities, and saves lives.
Learn more at: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-hand-hygiene-day
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