The annual global campaign entitled Save Lives: Clean Your Hands was launched by the Vietnamese Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) May 4. The campaign is aimed to improve the public awareness of the importance of hand washing in preventing diseases and to encourage medical workers to wash their hands properly. Correct hand hygiene is the best “antibiotic” for mitigating disease infection and bacterial contamination, health experts said, adding that 30 hospitals across the country have so far registered to join the campaign. Health Ministry statistics showed that infections at hospitals can raise fatality risks, prolong treatment times and hike treatment expenses for patients. A survey conducted at 19 hospitals nationwide in 2005 found that the hospital infection rate was 5.7% and mainly caused by pneumonia. Each year, hundreds of millions of patients worldwide are affected by health care-associated infections (HCAI). Although HCAI occurs frequently, its overall impact has been unknown until recently because of the lack of reliable data, the WHO noted. Recent studies by the WHO revealed that most HCAI occur in developing countries, which is preventable via the practice of good hand hygiene. ((Nhan Dan – The People May 5, Vietnam News May 6)
