25 May 2025

Health workers have been encouraged to prioritise proper hand hygiene practices to prevent the spread of infections. The message was echoed at a World Hand Hygiene Day event held at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone on Friday. The event, themed: It might be gloves, it’s always hand hygiene, aimed to raise awareness on the importance of hand hygiene in healthcare settings. It also underscored crucial role of medical gloves in preventing the spread of infections, while reinforcing that gloves are not a substitute for proper hand cleaning. Delivering the keynote address, World Health Organization (WHO) technical advisor, Ms Boingotlo Ramontshonyana, highlighted the risks posed by healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), which affected millions of patients and healthcare workers globally each year. She shared that, according to the WHO, 7 out of every 100 patients in high-income countries and 15 out of every 100 in low and middle-income countries acquire at least one healthcare-associated infection during their hospital stay. While, the 2024 Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) she said approximated 43 per cent of healthcare facilities globally still lack basic hand hygiene services. “Hand hygiene in healthcare settings remains one of the most effective and low-cost interventions to improve patient safety, prevent infections, and combat antimicrobial resistance,” said Ms Ramontshonyana. She noted that while gloves help minimise the risk of contaminating healthcare workers’ hands and reduce germ transmission, they do not offer complete protection. “Gloves are not a replacement for hand hygiene. Their effectiveness depends on proper use and timely hand decontamination. Hand hygiene by washing or using alcohol-based rubs remains essential after glove removal,” she said. Princess Marina Hospital manager, Ms Segopotso Motshubi, expressed commitment to championing hand hygiene practices among staff, particularly in light of the increasing occurrence of highly transmissible illnesses such as Ebola and Monkey pox. As health workers, we must lead by example and implement good hygiene practices that not only save lives but also reduce healthcare costs,” she said. Chief Nurse in the Postnatal Ward, Ms Margaret Kagiso, stressed that consistent hand hygiene was key to reducing the spread of illnesses, especially those resistant to medication, and was a critical preventative measure against microbial infections resulting from hygiene neglect. ENDS