World Hand Hygiene Day

The World Health Organization (WHO) has once again emphasized the point of clean hands both in homes as well as in hospitals ahead of the third World Hand Hygiene Day on May 5. The WHO has been observing May 5 as the World Hand Hygiene Day since 2009 and said that keeping your hands clean by regularly washing them not only stops the spread of harmful germs in the house, but also prevents the risk of infections in hospitals.

Such infections, also known as healthcare acquired infections, are known to cause prolonged hospital stays and also increase the risk of deaths in hospitals. Commenting on the lack of awareness of clean hands in India, the World Hygiene Council representative in the country, Narendra Saini said that nearly three quarters of the Indian population and around half of healthcare workers are unaware of the risks posed by unclean hands.

“In India about 40-50 percent of healthcare workers are unaware about proper techniques of cleaning their hands. It is not just a matter of habit. In fact, there is no regular supply of water and soap in many government hospitals”, he added.




Source-Medindia