Hand Hygiene Day 5 May 2024

Echoing with the World Health Organization “Hand Hygiene Day” on 5 May, the Department of Health has been dedicated in promoting the importance of hand hygiene to the public and healthcare professions.

The theme of Hand Hygiene Day 2024 is "Power of Hand Hygiene", highlighting the significance of hand hygiene practice on prevention and control of infectious diseases, hence encouraging everyone to incorporate hand hygiene into their daily lives as a non-negotiable routine.

Proper hand hygiene can break the chain of infection, control the spread of infections in healthcare facilities and communities, prevent about 30% of diarrheal infections and about 20% of respiratory infections.^[1] When cleaning your hands, all surfaces of the hands should be covered, including the palms, backs of hands, between fingers, backs of fingers, thumbs, finger tips and wrists. The entire hand-rubbing process should last for at least 20 seconds. Proper and appropriate hand hygiene practice in daily life and work can effectively improve personal and public health.

^[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Show Me the Science – Why Wash Your Hands? https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/why-handwashing.html. Accessed 18 April 2024.