WHO initiative stresses hygiene

Approximately half of the world's population can look forward to cleaner and safer care and a lowered risk of becoming ill with an infection as a result of their health care, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

A total of 22 countries representing 55% of the world's population have signed on to the Global Patient Safety Challenge, “Clean Care is Safer Care”, since it was launched by the WHO's World Alliance for Patient Safety in October 2005.

Australia, Belgium, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Germany, Kenya, Finland, Luxembourg, Singapore, Sudan, Uganda and the United States have recently pledged commitment to the initiative.

At any given moment some 1.4 million people worldwide are ill because of infections acquired in hospitals. In developed countries 5% to 10% of patients will acquire infections, and in some developing countries, as many as a quarter of patients may be affected.

“We can reduce these numbers dramatically, and more and more countries are showing they are ready to take action. With the help of WHO and other partners these countries are laying the foundations for patients everywhere to receive cleaner, safer care”, said Dr Anders Nordstrom, acting director-general of WHO.

One of the most powerful approaches to fighting health care-related infection is also the simplest, WHO says: healthcare providers need to clean their hands every time they see a patient.

Many countries have already substantially improved hand hygiene practices among health professionals. During a recent four-month hand hygiene campaign in Switzerland, the organization reports, compliance with good practices increased 25% among doctors and nurses working in two hospitals. The results of that study provoked the estimation that the Swiss could avert 17,000 nosocomial infections each year if hospitals nationwide achieved comparable improvements.