Ghana joined the rest of the world yesterday to mark World Hand Hygiene Day (WHHD), with a call on the public to adopt hand hygiene as a daily lifestyle in order to help break the chain of disease transmission nationwide.
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, who made the call, emphasised that hand hygiene, particularly proper handwashing and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers remained critical in reducing the risk of infections and disease outbreaks, urging Ghanaians not to abandon this simple but vital practice.
On the theme: ‘It might be gloves, it’s always hand hygiene,’ this year’s WHHD aims to underscore the importance of proper hand hygiene, especially in healthcare settings over reliance on gloves.
The campaign also seeks to raise awareness about the environmental and climate impact of gloves, stressing that wearing gloves does not replace the need for proper hand hygiene, which remains an effective way to protect public health and prevent the spread of infections.
As part of its Global Action Plan and Monitoring Framework for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), the World Health Organisation (WHO) is urging all countries to establish national hand hygiene compliance monitoring and feedback systems in all health facilities by 2026.
Reiterating the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and the role hand hygiene played in reducing transmission, Mr Akandoh reminded the public of the need to maintain those practices in order to prevent emerging public health emergencies.
He highlighted Ghana’s IPC progress, including the establishment of a national IPC committee, the appointment of a national IPC focal person, and the integration of hand hygiene indicators into the District Health Information Management System (DHIMS2).
“Importantly, we have set a bold target that by 2026, all regional and teaching hospitals in Ghana will routinely monitor hand hygiene compliance and provide regular feedback as part of their quality improvement frameworks,” he disclosed.
The Minister also reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring sustainable hand hygiene infrastructure across all public health facilities.
Furthermore, he also pledged to promote effective waste management systems, support the local production of affordable hygiene products, and encourage health training institutions to prioritise hygiene in their curricula.
“If we are to build a resilient, equitable, and people-centred health system, hygiene must serve as its unshakable foundation.
The health, safety, and dignity of every Ghanaian hinge upon the actions we take—or fail to take— on hygiene. Let us pledge today to make clean hands not merely a symbolic gesture, but a daily, unwavering practice,” he urged.
The WHO Country Representative, Dr Frank Lule, in a speech read on his behalf, noted about 70 per cent of infection transmission occurred in hospital settings with studies showing that practicing routine hand hygiene “achieves a reduction in these healthcare associated infections.”
He urged healthcare workers to apply the WHO “My 5 moments hand hygiene” framework which promotes handwashing; before touching a patient, before a clean or aseptic procedure, after body fluid exposure risk, after touching a patient, and after touching patient surroundings, for enhanced IPC among health workers and patients.
“It is imperative that we continue to ensure proper hand hygiene practices in order to reduce spread of germs and other health associated infections,” he advised.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
