‘70% of healthcare-associated infections can be prevented through hand hygiene’

Lucknow: Despite being the simplest and most cost-effective intervention, hand hygiene continues to be one of the weakest links in global healthcare systems, experts at SGPGI here said on Tuesday at a programme to mark World Hand Hygiene Day.

Citing WHO estimates, they said that nearly 70% of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) can be prevented through effective hand hygiene and infection control programmes.

However, compliance across healthcare settings remains inconsistent, with global adherence rates ranging between 40% and 60%.

Recent scientific evidence further underlines the urgency. A 2024 meta-analysis published in The Lancet found that proper hand hygiene can reduce pathogen transmission by up to 50%, significantly lowering the risk of infections and helping curb antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing global health threat.

Echoing these concerns, the experts stressed the need for behavioural change among healthcare workers, stronger institutional accountability, and adoption of data-driven monitoring systems to improve compliance.

The WHO has also called for multimodal infection prevention strategies, including regular monitoring, staff training and the integration of digital tools to track adherence.

Health experts note that frontline workers, especially nurses, play a pivotal role in maintaining hygiene standards, as they are in constant contact with patients. Strengthening compliance at this level could have a direct impact on patient outcomes and hospital safety.
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