On the Occasion of the World Handwashing Day, the MOH's Media Information and Health Awareness Center has pointed out, through the famous social networks (Facebook and Twitter), that washing hands protects against a wide range of diseases, such as influenza, Hepatitis (A), cold diseases, meningitis, typhoid, diarrhea, intestinal parasites, in addition to the microbes triggering hospital infection, which are transmitted during receiving treatment.
The Center, by means of its messages on My Health Channel (Sehhati) and Health Mobile Service, made clear that hands are cleaned by using water and soap, wither normal or anti-bacteria soap. There is another way to clean hands: by using an alcoholic antiseptic, known as the alcoholic gel, or the like substances.
Most of the Center's messages in this regard place particular emphasis on handwashing as the only, and most effective, way to avoid hospital infection. The Center advised people, also, to use disinfectants on five occasions: before or after touching patients, before using non-pollutants, after getting in contact with the body's secretions, and after the direct contact with either of the objects in the patient's surrounding environment. The Center, in addition, called upon health workers and service providers to stick to handwashing, and enforcing this healthy habit on both patients and their families.
It is worth mentioning that the Health Facility Infection Control General Department is holding tomorrow a scientific meeting on the occasion of the World Handwashing Day. The meeting is planned to comprise a number of lectures and worksheets by a number of physicians and specialists. This year's World Handwashing Day is held under the theme: “Wash Your Hands, to Rescue Your Life”. It is celebrated every year on May 5th. On this day, all health workers are summoned to reaffirm their commitment to hand cleanliness; thus helping patients protect themselves against the infection caused by polluted hands.