09 May 2016

 S'brana Psychiatric Hospital manager, Mr Jacob Koti, has said surgical patients are at risk of health care associated infections (HAI), in particular surgical site infections (SSI) and device-associated infections.

Mr Koti said this at the annual World Hand Hygiene Day commemoration held at the hospital in Lobatse on May 7. 

He said according to World Health Organisation (WHO), every year hundreds of millions of patients around the world are affected by health care associated infections yet more than half of these infections could be prevented by caregivers properly cleaning their hands at key moments in patient care.

He said the day was commemorated to increase awareness about the importance of hand washing as an effective and affordable way to prevent the spread of infections to surgical patients. Mr Koti said the day was declared by WHO and encourages patients and their family members to join health workers in their efforts to practice good hand hygiene. 

He added that the day was a part of making sure every health-care setting is safe for treating every patient. Mr Koti further said that each year, the SAVE LIVES: Clean your hands campaign aims to progress the goal of maintaining a global profile on the importance of hand hygiene in health care and to bring people together in support of hand hygiene improvement globally.

He said globally, people commonly wash their hands with water alone believing that it is sufficient to remove visible dirt and make hands clean whilst it is significantly less effective. 

He said washing hands properly with soap and water was the most cost effective health intervention.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, chief medical officer, Dr Samson Kidane said good hand hygiene was vital for good health, adding that hands are a main path for germ transmission. 

He said most bacteria was found in hospitals, therefore advised health care workers to prevent the spread of bacteria by properly washing hands before and after touching patients, and to act as hand hygiene ambassadors.

The day involved a hand washing activity following a proper hand hygiene procedure by hospital staff, visitors, patients and other stakeholders. 

The procedure demonstrated how to target most missed spots when washing hands, which included between the fingers, around the finger nails, around wrists and back of the thumbs. 

The day was commemorated under the theme “hand hygiene supports safe surgical care-practice hand hygiene for surgical patients from admission to discharge. ENDS