World Hand Hygiene Day, 2023

World Hand Hygiene Day is observed annually on May 5th to raise awareness about the significance of hand hygiene to prevent the spreading of infectious diseases. This day was first initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2009 as part of the "Save Lives: Clean Your Hands" campaign.

On Hand Hygiene Day, WHO encourages healthcare workers, patients, and the general public to promote and practice good hand hygiene habits to prevent the spread of infections. This includes washing hands regularly, using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, avoiding touching the face with unwashed hands, and covering the mouth and nose with a tissue or elbow when coughing or sneezing.

World hand hygiene day theme for 2023 is Accelerate action together. SAVE LIVES – Clean Your Hands highlighting the importance of “Together, we can accelerate action to prevent infections and antimicrobial resistance in health care, as well as create a culture of safety and quality in which hand hygiene improvement is prioritized”.

Hand hygiene refers to the practice of cleaning hands with soap and water to remove dirt, germs, and other harmful substances. Regular and proper hand hygiene is crucial in preventing the spread of infections, especially in the healthcare system where patients may have weakened immune systems.

Importance of hand hygiene

We all know the fact that a major amount of diseases enter your body through our hands and foods. Our hands are exposed to a million germs daily. Every day we touch different types of objects that are unhygienic and dirty. If we don’t wash and clean our hands after touching those objects, then germs can easily enter inside our body through foods and drinks. There are some vital points that everybody must keep in mind regarding the significance of maintaining the hygiene of our hands.

• Never touch your food without washing your hands.
• Never touch the private parts of your body without cleaning your hands.
• You should not touch babies and infants without washing your hands.
• Never forget to wash your hands after eating food.
• Use the best quality hand soap to clean the hands in a regular manner.
• Use good quality hand sanitizer to clean your hands in case you do not have water and soap.
• Use the sanitizer to touch or hold small babies even if you use hand soap.

Children are more prone to diseases and infections caused by the use of dirty and unhygienic hands. They tend to put their hands and fingers inside their mouth frequently which is very dangerous. You must make the children at your home aware of the bad effects of this practice. Ask them to use hand wash to clean their hands before and after meals.

You should also not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth without washing your hands, you may be infected with some of the common respiratory diseases like influenza or the common cold.

Hand hygiene and antibiotic resistance

Hand hygiene can prevent approximately 30% of diarrheal illnesses and approximately 20% of respiratory infections (e.g., colds). Antibiotics are frequently prescribed too often for these health issues. Minimizing the number of these infections by washing hands frequently helps to prevent antibiotic overusage. Handwashing may also prevent people from becoming sick with germs that are resistant to antibiotics and are difficult to treat.

Proper handwashing technique

We can’t keep our hands free from disease-causing pathogens all the time, as we do a lot of activities and accumulate germs on our hands. Hand washing is one of the most potent ways to shield us from many infectious diseases. Following are proper steps for washing hands to avail maximum protection:

• Firstly, wet your hands with fresh running water and apply a considerable amount of soap or hand wash solution.
• Make good foam on your hands by rubbing them. You should wash your hand thoroughly, including the back and front of your palm, between your fingers, and under nail beds.
• After rubbing the soap or hand wash, scrub your hands and nails for a minimum of 20 seconds, and also don’t forget to clean your wrists.
• Rinse your hands with clean running water.
• Dry your hands with a towel or tissue paper if available.

Benefits of Hand hygiene

Hand hygiene is the act of cleaning your hands to prevent the spread of infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Practicing good hand hygiene has many benefits, including:

Reducing the spread of germs

Proper hand hygiene can help prevent the transmission of harmful germs, viruses, and bacteria. This is especially important in environments such as hospitals, schools, and public places where germs can easily spread.

Preventing infections

Good hand hygiene can prevent infections such as colds, flu, and gastrointestinal illnesses. This is particularly important for people with weakened immune systems, such as the elderly, children, and those with chronic medical conditions.

Protecting others

Good hand hygiene is not just important for protecting yourself from germs and infections, but it also protects others surrounding you who are more vulnerable to infections.

Improving overall health

Practicing good hand hygiene can help reduce the incidence of illness, which can lead to a healthier population overall. This can result in fewer missed days of work or school, lower healthcare costs, and a better quality of life for everyone.

Easy and cost-effective

Hand hygiene is a simple and inexpensive way to prevent the spread of infections. All you need is soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, which is widely available and affordable.

World Hand Hygiene Day serves as a reminder to spread awareness about the importance of hand hygiene in preventing the spread of infections and improving public health.

Prevention is better than cure.