Minister for Health marks World Hand Hygiene Day
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Health
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly today (Thursday 5 May 2022) marked World Hand Hygiene Day. Ireland supports this international initiative, led by the World Health Organization, which is part of the “SAVE LIVES: Clean your Hands” annual global campaign.
The theme of this year’s global initiative is “Unite for Safety: Clean Your Hands”. The campaign encourages health workers at all levels and people accessing health care facilities to unite on ensuring clean hands.
Cleaning hands regularly is one of the most effective ways of stopping the spread of many common infections, including COVID-19. Regular, correct hand hygiene is one of the most important and simple things that we can do to protect our health, the health of our families and patients.
Minister Donnelly said:
"Since the COVID-19 pandemic we all have become more aware of the significance of hand hygiene. Washing your hands regularly is the single most effective way of stopping the spread of many infections. I would like to thank all healthcare workers for leading by example and would encourage everyone to practice good hand hygiene. By working together and keeping our hands clean, we can all play our part to help keep each other safe in all settings and especially when accessing healthcare."
Chief Nursing Officer, Rachel Kenna added:
"On World Hand Hygiene Day 2022 I would like to encourage everyone to practice effective hand hygiene to ensure we protect ourselves and others from infection. Cleaning your hands properly with soap and water or an alcohol hand gel is essential for effective infection prevention and control. Staff, patients and visitors in healthcare settings can play an important part in reducing infections by cleaning their hands."
HSE Clinical Lead for Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Prevention and Control (AMRIC) Dr Eimear Brannigan noted:
"Hands are the main pathways of infection transmission during health care. Many healthcare associated infections are preventable through good hand hygiene and by promoting the use of correct hand hygiene we can ensure that patients and healthcare staff are being protected from avoidable infections."
Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a core component of Ireland’s second One Health National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2021-2025 which was published in November 2021. IPC is a key enabler to delivery of safe health and social care.
Further information on World Hand Hygiene Day: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-hand-hygiene-day/2022
Further information on Ireland’s second One Health National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2021-2025: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/d72f1-joint-action-on-antimicrobial-resistance/#irelands-second-one-health-action-plan-on-antimicrobial-resistance-2021-2025-inap2