Netcare Milpark Hospital stressed the importance of hand hygiene

Milpark Netcare Hospital shone the light on hand hygiene in commemoration of Hand Hygiene Day on May 5.
According to the World Health Organisation, (WHO), thousands of people die every day around the world from infections acquired while receiving health care. Hands are the main pathways of germ transmission during health care.

Hand hygiene is, therefore, the most important measure to avoid the transmission of harmful germs and prevent healthcare-associated infections.

Speaking in Parktown, nursing servicing manager Leandra Le Forestier said the hospital operated according to the WHO calendar.

“Today is a day when we remind our staff about the importance of hand hygiene, even though it’s our daily focus and have strict infection prevention control staff members who make sure our standards are met. Covid-19 has taught us a lot about hand hygiene; it is probably our biggest risk factor when we are health workers providing service and care to our patients because we can spread infections.”

The following are steps on how to clean one’s hands:

• Clean your hands by rubbing them with an alcohol-based formulation as the preferred means for routine hygienic hand-antisepsis if hands are not visibly soiled.
• Wash your hands with soap and water when hands are visibly dirty, or visibly soiled with blood or other body fluids, or after using the toilet.
• If exposure to potential spore-forming pathogens is strongly suspected or proven, including outbreaks of clostridium difficile [inflammation of the colon], hand washing with soap and water is the preferred means.
  Nurse and unit manager Slindile Jiyane added that campaigns such as Hand Hygiene Day were important to reinforce what healthcare workers knew in terms of safety and health policies in hospitals and wards.

The WHO added that the glove pyramid was there to aid decision-making on when to wear gloves. Gloves must be worn according to standard and contact precautions.

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