*Seeks holistic approach to expand, maintain infrastructure for safe water
As Nigeria marks the World Hand Hygiene Day, the World Health Orgnaisation (WHO) has lamented that half of all health care facilities in Africa do not have basic water services.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, in a message to mark the 2022 World Hand Hygiene Day, also noted that one in every four health facilities across the globe lack even the most basic access to water supplies.
Stressing that one in every three health facilities lack access to hand hygiene facilities at point of care, Moeti said, effective infection prevention and control measures which include hand hygiene, could reduce health care-associated infections by more than half.
Moeti said, “Evidence shows us that effective infection prevention and control measures, including hand hygiene, could reduce health care-associated infections by more than half, while boosting new-born survival rates by as much as 44%.
“Correct, frequent hand hygiene also plays a significant role in the fight against epidemics and pandemics, as we have seen from the response to COVID-19 and cholera, as well as the burgeoning threat of anti-microbial resistance’’,
The global health body while emphasizing the need for a holistic approach between the public and private sector maintained that it remains crucial to th expansion and maintaining of infrastructure for safe water, sanitation and hygiene in the region.
‘’More financial resources are required in most African countries to achieve universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene services by 2030, and research on the socio-economic burden of healthcare-associated infections in African countries is also needed.
‘’To prioritize clean hands in health facilities, workers at all levels need to believe in the importance of hand hygiene and IPC in saving lives. They are key players in achieving the appropriate behaviours and attitudes to this critical intervention.
‘’Today, on World Hand Hygiene Day, I would like to thank our hardworking health care staff in the African Region for leading by example, and encouraging others to clean their hands. I would also like to acknowledge the work of IPC practitioners, who tirelessly encourage health workers to become part of new hand hygiene initiatives.
‘’To governments and partners, I urge you to invest more in the expansion of access to safe water and sanitation for our people. If we all “unite for safety” by practising good hand hygiene, we will indeed be better positioned to secure the high quality and safer care which we all envision for future generations of Africans’’, she added.
World Hand Hygiene Day is marked annually on May 5 to foster and support a culture of handwashing, while raising awareness and understanding about this effective and affordable way to help prevent the spread of diseases.
This year’s theme titled, “Unite for Safety – Clean Your Hands”, focuses specifically on health facilities, with a call to all health workers, patients and their family members to unite on hand hygiene to achieve a culture of high quality, safer care.
