Stakeholders in the health sector have called for safe healthcare practices to boost hand hygiene and prevent infection.
The stakeholders spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at a dialogue to mark the 2024 World Hand Hygiene Day under the theme “Power of Hand Hygiene.”
The dialogue was organised by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and PreventionDisease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
The theme of the dialogue is “Promoting Knowledge and Capacity Building of Health and Care Workers through Innovative and Impactful Training and Education, on Infection Control and Prevention Including Hand Hygiene.’’
Dr Tochi Okwor, National Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Programme Coordinator at the NCDC, highlighted the significance of hand hygiene in preventing infections, especially for health workers.
Okwor said that hand hygiene not only protected patients but also stopped the spread of harmful germs within healthcare facilities.
She reiterated the commitment of the NCDC to building robust IPC programmes in Nigeria.
Okwor said there was need for competent professionals who prioritised hand hygiene as part of the initiative to “Turn Nigeria Orange.”
She also spoke on the importance of a unified approach embodied in the concept of “One Nation One Plan.”
Okwor said that Healthcare-Associated infections (HAIs) imposed financial burdens on families and the healthcare system.
She called for a shift in focus towards understanding the economic costs of HAIs, highlighting the potential of the infections to plunge patients and their families into poverty.
On his part, Dr Festus Adetonwa, IPC Focal Person for Ogun, said there was an interconnectedness of infections between healthcare facilities and communities.
Adetonwa called for accessible hand hygiene facilities such as clean water in order to promote a culture of hand hygiene in all community health centres.
Prof. Mohammed Manga, a Medical Microbiologist affiliated with the Federal Teaching Hospital and Gombe State University, said hand played hygiene a pivotal role in disease transmission.
Mrs Niniola Williams, Managing Director of DRASA Health Trust, reiterated the critical role of hand hygiene in healthcare.
Williams said that clean hands led to safer care; preventing the spread of harmful germs, infections, and unnecessary treatments.
She urged Nigerians to spread knowledge about hand hygiene practices to ensure safe healthcare environments and protect patients from harm.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) recalls that the “Save lives: Clean Your Hands” campaign takes place as part of a major global effort led by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The campaign is to mobilise people around the world to increase adherence to hand hygiene in all healthcare settings. (NAN)
