Medical gloves are used in healthcare and are defined as disposable gloves used during medical procedures. These gloves can get contaminated as easily as bare hands and do not protect 100%. When worn, gloves should be removed, for example, after touching a patient and hand hygiene performed immediately as per the WHO 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene.
Regardless of whether gloves are worn, hand hygiene at the right times and in the right way is still one of the most important measures to protect patients and health workers in healthcare. By 2026, hand hygiene compliance monitoring and feedback should be established as a key national indicator, at the very least in all reference hospitals. Currently 68% of countries report they are doing this.
Excessive glove use contributes significantly to the volume of health care waste. Appropriate glove use and hand hygiene can help minimize this waste. Using gloves when not indicated wastes resources and does not necessarily reduce transmission of germs. An average university hospital generates 1,634 tons of health care waste each year and this number is increasing 2-3% per year (especially since COVID-19); wealthier countries generate more waste.
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/campaigns/world-hand-hygiene-day/2025/hand-hygiene-priorities-for-policy-makers.jpg?sfvrsn=64143725_4 "Hand hygiene priorities for policy makers")
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