Theme: Together, we can accelerate action to prevent infections and antimicrobial resistance in health care and build a culture of safety and quality in which hand hygiene improvement is given high priority.

World Hand Hygiene Day celebration is on May 5. There are several deadly and dangerous diseases caused by microorganisms all around us. They are all trying to get inside us in one way or the other, which could easily happen through our hands. Hand hygiene is the best defense against such microbial attacks. Understanding this, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a campaign to spread the importance of hand hygiene in healthcare.

WHO is calling on all CSOs and other partner organizations to engage with the campaign and accelerate progress at achieving effective hand hygiene at point of care. Hand hygiene saves millions of lives every year when performed at the right moments during health care delivery. 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.

Together, we can galvanize action on preventing infections and antimicrobial resistance in health care. Strong and engaged communities of health workers, policy makers and civil society organizations (CSOs) can accelerate and sustain action at the point of care to keep people safe and healthy.  

HOW TO OBSERVE WORLD HAND HYGIENE DAY

• Post write up on social media about hand hygiene. Hand hygiene is important and we know it. But there will always be people who doubt everything. Send messages showcasing the importance of handwashing.
• Buy a hand-washer and, if possible, sponsor a few to your nearest N.G.Os working for hand hygiene. Any donation or sponsorship helps.
• Organize event in your local community and teach people about hygiene. Make sure to advocate the importance of hand hygiene.

FACTS ABOUT HAND GERMS

• Germs in your hands can survive up to three hours and some of them even longer.
• Our fingertips will have more than two million bacteria and other microorganisms.
• A germ can reproduce so fast that it can double its population in a few minutes.
• Around 80% of disease-causing germs are transmitted through our hands.
• Our hands are superfast transmitters. It spread 1,000 times more germs when they are damp.

WHY WORLD HAND HYGIENE DAY IS IMPORTANT

• We practice hygiene. This is a day to spread the importance of hygiene to protect our health. See what you can do on this day to learn more about good hygiene.
• Contribute to raising awareness about this important cause. Information and awareness can change lives.
• Concentrating on hygiene will result in an overall health improvement. We love being mindful of health!

YOUR HEALTH PHARMACY

Making your health our priority.