The State Specialist Hospital Gombe has commemorated this year’s World Hand Hygiene Day with a strong call on healthcare workers, patients, and relatives to embrace regular hand washing and sanitising to prevent the spread of infections and save lives
The event which took place on Wednesday at the conference hall of the hospital had doctors, nurses, other health workers, representative from World Health Organisation, ministry of health and others in attendance.
Speaking during the event, the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Sambo Dawa, described hand hygiene as a simple but powerful public health action capable of reducing hospital-acquired infections and protecting both patients and healthcare workers.
He explained that many patients who visit hospitals for treatment often end up spending longer periods battling infections acquired within healthcare facilities due to poor hand hygiene practices.
According to him, proper hand washing before and after attending to patients, touching hospital equipment, body fluids, or even patients’ clothing and beds can significantly reduce infections and improve patient safety.
Dr. Dawa noted that hand washing is cheaper than treating infections with antibiotics and other medications, stressing that healthcare workers must ensure the hands trained to heal patients are not used to harm them through negligence.
The CMD said the commemoration was not only meant to create awareness but also to encourage action among healthcare workers and the public.
Presenting a paper on hand hygiene practice, Infection Prevention and Control focal person from the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, Mohammed Sadiq, stated that hand hygiene remains one of the most effective methods of preventing the transmission of infections in healthcare settings and homes.
He explained that according to the World Health Organisation, proper hand hygiene can prevent more than 80 percent of infectious disease transmission.
The presenter educated participants on the different types of hand hygiene, the correct hand washing techniques expected of healthcare workers while attending to patients.
Also speaking, the Infection Prevention and Control Focal Person of the hospital, John Solomon, said the annual programme organized in collaboration with the World Health Organisation aims to create awareness on the importance of clean hands in preventing infections that are invisible to the human eye.
He explained that this year’s theme, “Safer Care Starts with Clean Hands,” emphasises the need for healthcare workers to maintain clean hands before handling patients.
John Solomon added that the hospital would continue conducting hand hygiene audits across wards and clinics to monitor compliance among healthcare workers, adding that those who consistently observe proper hand hygiene practices would be recognised and rewarded as “Hand Hygiene Champions.”
He further stressed that hand hygiene should not be limited to hospitals alone, noting that patients’ relatives and members of the public must also wash their hands regularly, especially after using the toilet and before handling food or caring for sick relatives.
Representing the Hospital Services Management Board, Alhaji Yawale, described hand hygiene as an effective way of reducing hospital-acquired infections, which he said are often difficult to treat, urging healthcare workers to remain committed to washing their hands before and after medical procedures.
Also the representative of the Ministry of Health Idris Muhammed Atiku also appealed to development partners to support the hospital with hygiene materials such as soap and sanitisers to sustain hand hygiene practices across the hospital.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Sambo Dawa appreciated the support of the Gombe State Ministry of Health, Hospital Services Management Board, World Health Organisation, and Clinton Health Access Initiative for supporting the hospital’s infection prevention activities and the successful commemoration of the event.
The MD particularly commended the hospital’s IPC unit and John Solomon for their dedication toward promoting infection prevention and control within the hospital.
The event also featured the unveiling of hand sanitizers produced by the hospital for use within the facility.
