Islamabad
As of April 18, 2016, a total of 44 hospitals and
healthcare facilities in Pakistan have registered their
commitment to
hand hygiene as part of a global campaign of the World Health Organisation that calls on all
healthcare facilities to join the ‘SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands’ movement and commit to improving
hand hygiene practices.
“The WHO Country ****** in Pakistan plans to join hands with the government and partners to raise awareness about the benefits of
hand hygiene,” a press release issued here on Wednesday states. World
hand hygiene Day is observed on May 5 every year to sensitise
healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, sanitary staff, etc.,) in the fact that
hand hygiene is the single most important method of preventing and controlling infection in
healthcare facilities.
The theme of this year’s campaign is ‘Surgical site infections, with particular focus on ensuring clean hands from the moment the patient enters the hospital, through surgical preparation and post-operative care, until the patient is discharged’. The campaign aims to reduce the spread of life-threatening infections through improving
hand hygiene practices in
healthcare settings.
hand hygiene is a primary and simple, low-cost measure which is proven to be effective in preventing healthcare-associated infections.
Many studies have shown that the bacteria that cause hospital-acquired infections are most frequently spread from one patient to a**ther on the hands of
healthcare workers. Cleaning your hands before and after having contact with patients is one of the most important measures for preventing the spread of bacteria in
healthcare settings to improve and promote best
hand hygiene practices during the delivery of
healthcare services.
Infectious diseases in Pakistan are believed to be one of the most pressing medical problem and the major cause of morbidity and premature death. According to an assessment of water, sanitation and
hygiene (WASH) services in
healthcare facilities, conducted by WHO in 2015,
hand washing
facilities were available in 70-80% of the assessed health centres, and a few hospitals including District Head Quarters and Tehsil Head Quarters had placed soap in
hand washing areas of
healthcare facilities.
Every year, health care-associated infections affect hundreds of millions of patients worldwide, in both developed and developing countries. They can lead to serious illness, prolonged hospital stays, long-term disabilities, added costs to patients and their families, additional financial burden on the
healthcare system and, critically, sometimes, tragic loss of life.
Patient voices can act as a powerful tool in achieving improvements in patient safety, and their participation is needed to improve and promote
hand hygiene. WHO is encouraging patients to insist on their right to safe health care, of which
hand hygiene is a basic component.
Healthcare managers have a responsibility to facilitate
hand hygiene through ensuring: availability of soap, running water and *******-based handrub, a standard sink/bed ratio, continuous training of staff, regular monitoring of
hand hygiene practices and patient satisfaction.
WHO’s vision for the next decade is to encourage awareness and promote the need for improved compliance and sustainability in
hand hygiene practices at the point of patient care through implementation of WHO’s 5 Moments for
hand hygiene initiative: i) before patient contact: ii) before cleaning/aseptic procedure; iii) after body fluid exposure risk; (iv) after patient contact; and v) after contact with patient surroundings.
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