World Hand Hygiene Day Health ministry conducts awareness campaign |06 May 2022

A gentleman being showed the correct way to wash his hands (Photo: Patrick Joubert)

To commemorate World Hand Hygiene Day, yesterday, a group of workers from the infection prevention and control unit of the health ministry, led a half-day awareness and education campaign on hand hygiene in different locations in Victoria.

Hand hygiene is the way of cleaning one’s hands that significantly reduces harmful germs on the hands. It is considered a primary measure for reducing the risk of transmitting infections.

The theme for this year is ‘A health care quality and safety climate or culture that values hand hygiene and infection prevention and control’ with an accompanying slogan ‘Unite for safety: clean your hands’.

The group of health workers had mobilised and were seen at different spots around Victoria between 9am and 1.30pm. They were at Victoria House arcade, near Paradise Computers, the STC Hypermarket, the Seychelles Postal Services, Market Street and at the Victoria bus terminal giving advice to passers-by on how best to wash their hands correctly, at the right times and with the right products.

People who interacted with them were presented with either a hand sanitiser, a poster or leaflet on hand sanitising. Taking into account the many hand hygiene awareness campaigns held during the Covid-19 pandemic, the health workers had in their possession questionnaires of a survey they are conducting to have an idea how much people have understood and captured the awareness campaign messages of hand hygiene and if they were doing the hand washing right before they in turn showed them the correct way to wash their hands.   

Rita Jean, nursing officer at the infection prevention and control unit and member of the infection prevention and control committee, said it is the first time the health ministry marks   World Hand Hygiene Day on this level, taking into account the theme for this year and the ongoing pandemic. She noted that in the past the day was only commemorated in the health centres by health workers only.

“We received a very good response from members of the public but we have observed that they were not cleaning their hands properly and at the correct times although they do understand the importance of hand hygiene,” nurse Jean pointed out. She remarked that for the majority of people whom they interacted with, their hands were not dirty but they did not see the need to clean them while some others say they are busy and do not have the time to do so.

She reminded members of the public that although it is recommended to wash our hands when it’s dirty, we have to bear in mind that clean hands are also considered as dirty taking into account the amount of invisible microbes that are stuck to the hands. She added that microbes which cause diseases are present on every surface we touch and although we would consider our hands clean after touching these surfaces, they are in fact dirty and need to be cleaned regularly as we are always in contact with different surfaces.  

Nurse Jean noted that apart from showing and advising the general public on how to wash their hands and the frequencies at which to do it, they also informed them on the importance of washing their hands when coming to the health centres and also after leaving the centres to prevent the transportation of diseases to and from the clinics, hospitals and their homes.

“The campaign is to get the public to see the need to wash their hands from a microbe contaminated perspective apart from the original washing from dirt, to prevent the spread of any infectious diseases,” nurse Jean explained.

Meanwhile on Saturday May 7 from 8.30am to 1.30pm the campaign will move to different regions of Mahe, Praslin and La Digue.

On Mahé the health workers will be stationed in the vicinity of Premier Building in Victoria,at Beau Vallon, Anse Aux Pins bus terminal, Providence, Anse Boileau, Port Launay and Anse Royale.

On Praslin they will be at Côte d’Or and Grand Anse and on La Digue at La Passe.

Patrick Joubert