In both NHS and private medical establishments correct handwashing procedures have been taught and implemented in an attempt to cut down on infections, particularly those that are specifically transmitted in hospital such as C.Difficile and MRSA. Today is Global Handwashing Day which aims to encourage the habit of handwashing across the world.
The message that organisers are trying to convey is that washing hands with soap and water can save lives.
‘Turning handwashing with soap before eating and after using the toilet into an ingrained habit could save more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention, cutting deaths from diarrhea by almost half and deaths from acute respiratory infections by one-quarter.’
A recent study at a UK service station found that 30% of women and 60% of men do not wash their hands after going to the toilet.
The main focus of Global Handwashing day will be around schools and children with the view that if you can positively influence a child when they grow up they will pass their good habits onto their children.
Research has found that handwashing with water alone is not enough. Using only water to handwash is very common across the world but using soap is less so. The campaign teaches people to always wash their hands with soap for a minimum of 20 seconds.
According to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine:
‘More than 1 in four people have faecal matter on their hands! Britain’s 12M cases of norovirus, gastroenteritis, MRSA, E-Coli and now Swine Flu infections are mainly down to dirty hands. washitoff!’
In the UK the rate of infections in NHS and private hospitals is on the decline due to stringent handwashing policy. Despite consumer pressure private medical establishments are not obliged to publish their infection rate statistics at the moment but those that do generally indicate that levels are lower than those in the NHS. NHS statistics have to be published for everyone to see and a great hospital guide, which includes infectious disease statistics, is available on the Doctor Foster site.
Worldwide there are still major handwashing problems in hospitals. In Indian hospitals, for example, it is reported that up to one third of patients admitted contract an infection during their hospital stay. Dr Dilip Mathai, head of department of internal medicine, Christian Medical College, Vellore said:
‘…. in India, even the simple hand wash protocol is not followed. Use of equipment without sterilisation is also not uncommon.’
Today there will be hundreds of handwashing events all over the world including handwashing demonstrations, handwashing parties, free soap giveaways and competitions. In the UK this is has important implications for hospitals as it will encourage patients and their visitors to also take some responsibility for their own health when possible.