Introduction:
The goal of the Global Handwashing Day, which is celebrated every year on October 15, is to remind healthcare providers and patients and people all over the world to commit to hand washing to prevent the spread of infections. The main goal of the Global Hand Hygiene Day is to recognize that handwashing is one of the most effective actions you can take to reduce the spread of pathogens and prevent infections, including the COVID-19 virus. Health workers and community members alike can play a role in preventing infection transmission by practicing regular and frequent handwashing regularly.
Global Handwashing Day is an opportunity to raise awareness
and understanding about the importance of handwashing with
soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives. It is also an opportunity to design, test, and replicate creative ways to encourage people to wash their hands with soap at critical times
Facts:
- People frequently touch their eyes, noses and mouths without being aware of doing so, leading to contamination of hand with germs, transmission of infection to others, while neglecting hand hygiene.
- Cleaning and disinfecting hands reduces respiratory illnesses, like the common cold, by 16-21%.
- Washing hands with soap can reduce the rates of gastroenteritis by 23-40%.
- Reducing the rates of school absenteeism as a result of gastroenteritis by 29-57%.
- Reducing gastroenteritis among immunocompromised patients to 58%.
Objectives:
- Raising awareness of the importance of washing hands to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
- Making hand hygiene a global priority.
- Engaging with health care workers in their role in clean care and the prevention of infections
Globally: October 15th, 2021
Locally: Rabiʽ al-Awwal 9th, 1443H
Theme:
(Our Future is at Hand … Let's Move Forward Together)
References:
MOH, World Health Days