Mediclinic and ER24 are highlighting the importance of clean hands in preventing infections and improving healthcare.
Today, May 5, is Global Health Professionals Hand Hygiene Day, a day declared by the World Health Organization (WHO). This year is 10 years since the launch of the WHO Clean Care is Safer Care programme and the seventh year of the SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands campaign.
According to WHO hand hygiene in healthcare has saved millions of lives. WHO also states hand hygiene is a quality indicator of safe healthcare.
Dealing with patients on a daily basis, patient safety is of utmost importance to Mediclinic and ER24.
Each Mediclinic hospital received posters, stickers and additional alcohol hand rub bottles in recognition of Hand Hygiene Day. The alcohol hand rub bottles will be handed out to all the healthcare workers and agency staff. They will then pass it on in a line from one person to the other. This action will symbolise the handing over of the hand sanitiser baton and everybody’s commitment to ensuring good hand hygiene.
Briëtte du Toit, Infection Prevention and Control Specialist at Mediclinic, has spearheaded the project, and the Clinical Risk Managers at each hospital will champion the campaign in their facilities.
“Hands that are not clean can transmit harmful organisms to patients. Hands are seen as the primary vectors for transmitting healthcare-associated organisms in the hospital and pre-hospital setting. Hand washing is critically important in preventing the spread of gastro-enteritis and other communicable diseases in the community,” said Yolanda Walsh, Patient Safety Officer at Mediclinic.
Dr Robyn Holgate, from ER24, said that hand hygiene is the best way to prevent the spread of infection and disease. “In 2015 we are faced with a number of infection challenges such as the increasing resistance of superbugs to antibiotics. Hand washing is one of the most important ways to prevent the spread of these bugs.
“Hand washing with soap is an effective and inexpensive way to remove germs. Washing your hands could decrease the incidence of disease, for example gastro-enteritis that is common in children, by as much as 30 to 50%. If we ensure a global health practice of hand washing after using the toilet and before eating food, the initiative will be more effective in preventing disease than medication and even vaccination.”
Chitra Bodasing
ER24 spokesperson