Hand Hygiene Saves Precious Lives

The other day World Hand Hygiene Day was marked amidst a variety of programmes across the globe, highlighting the importance of handwashing for good health. The Day aims to raise awareness of the hand hygiene as the best preventative measures against the spread of infection. The theme of the day focused on accelerating action to prevent infections and antimicrobial resistance in health care and building a culture of safety. But, due to the lack of water and handwashing facilities in public spaces, many Nepalis continue falling ill from infections caused by poor hygiene.

Cleaning hands with alcohol-based hand sanitiser or soap and water is a simple yet effective way to protect ourselves from contracting serious infections. Clean hands keep patients and health workers safe. However, many health care facilities still do not have handwashing stations in waiting rooms or restrooms. Many service seekers are still relying on health facilities that do not offer even the most basic hygiene services. Hand washing is not only the most efficient public health intervention but also the first line of defence in preventing the transmission of most infectious diseases. It is a preventive method that has been scientifically proven to lower the risk of bacterial and viral transmission as well as the likelihood of contracting diarrheal and respiratory illnesses.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), hand hygiene saves millions of lives every year when performed at the right moments during healthcare delivery. It is also a smart investment that offers an exceptional return for each dollar invested. Clean care is a sign of respect to those who seek care, and it protects the health of other workers who provide that care. According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), handwashing reduces the likelihood of diarrhoea by 23–40 per cent. It reduces diarrheal illnesses in people with compromised immune systems by 58 per cent, respiratory illnesses like colds among the general population by 16–21 per cent, and absenteeism due to gastrointestinal illness in schoolchildren by 29–57 per cent.

The concerned authorities should accelerate the implementation of lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and invest in infection prevention and control, including hand hygiene. Strong commitment and engagement by health workers, organisations of civil society, policymakers, and the community can accelerate efforts to keep people safe and healthy. As hand hygiene is the easiest and cheapest way to keep any types of infections at bay, everyone should be encouraged to practise good hygiene at home, work, schools, in hospitals or in any public place. Hand washing facilities were set up in different parts of the Kathmandu Valley and outside when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak and when people washed their hands frequently as a preventive measure.  

Hand hygiene is one of the best investments that can be made in health care facilities and public spaces, which is a minimum requirement for safe and quality health. Hand hygiene implementation has been greatly hindered by a lack of handwashing facilities, including the installation of sinks, running water, soap and sewage systems. Thus, it is crucial to ensure the availability of basic hygiene services in public places, including health care facilities so that the channel of risky infections via our hands is blocked.