May 5th is the World Health Organization (WHO) World Hand Hygiene Day. Essity supports the focus on Infection Prevention and Control, including evidence-based hand hygiene, which is critical for the quality of care of patients across all levels of the health system. As global experts in professional hygiene, we want to support workers on the front line with information on how to minimize contagion by maintaining proper hygiene practices in the workplace.
A study shows that 8 out of 10 healthcare professionals would like to improve their hand hygiene compliance. But traditional forms of hand hygiene training are often perceived as uninspiring. Tork's award winning Clean Hands Training invites Healthcare Professional into a digital world there they can interact and train on the WHO’s "5 moments of hand hygiene" in a realistic environment. It’s now available for free on any device.
Hand hygiene is the leading measure for reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAI). Improving hand hygiene practices may reduce pathogen transmission in healthcare by 50%*. The five moments of hand hygiene define the key moments when healthcare staff should perform hand hygiene.
*Source WHO. B. Allegranzi
Effective hand hygiene and cleaning solutions have never been more important than now. That's true for hospitals, but also for educational institutions, manufacturer or businesses. Using its extensive global experience in Professional Hygiene our brand Tork has created toolkits for different facilities and industries that match their individual hygiene needs.
Compared to paper hand towels, jet air dryers produce more airborne droplets*, increasing the risk of bacteria spread, and today as many as 43% feel unsafe entering a washroom with air dryers.
*Margas E. et al, J Applied Microbiol, 2013
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change in ways that make medication ineffective. When micro-organisms become resistant to most antimicrobials they are often referred to as ‘superbugs’. As a result, the medicines become ineffective and infections persist in the body.
"I think we typically think of soap as being gentle and soothing, but for a microorganism, it’s very destructive", says Dr. Ravina Kullar. The Global Infectious Diseases Expert spoke about the role of hand hygiene in preventing antimicrobial resistance in the first season of our Essential Talks Podcast.
Check this video with Carolyn Berland, our Senior Scientist, on the importance of proper hand hygiene for health and every day hygiene.
Hand washing is critical in reducing the spread of colds, flu and viruses. But teaching kids good hygiene can be a challenge. Our brand Tork put together the Ella’s Handwashing School package, which includes an app, hygiene brochures, teaching material as well as activities to help make hand washing a little more fun.
Essity is a proud participant in the Private Organizations for Patient Safety (POPS) initiative facilitated by WHO.
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