“It might be gloves, it’s always hand hygiene
Warming up for World Hand Hygiene Day (5 May 2025)”
Regardless of whether gloves are worn or not, hand hygiene at the right times and in the right way - is still one of the most important measures to protect those receiving care as well as health and care workers.
Medical gloves used in health care 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, medical gloves should be removed, for example, after touching a patient, and hand hygiene performed as per the WHO 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene.
Besides educating health and care workers on the appropriate use of gloves, as well as the WHO 5 Moments for hand hygiene, action should also be embedded clearly within national IPC strategies, as well as standard operating procedures (SOPs) at facility level, according to the recommendations of the WHO global action plan and monitoring framework 2024-2030.
Objectives of the warming up webinar
- To discuss promotion and education of optimal hand hygiene practices (using the appropriate technique and according to the WHO 5 Moments) alongside the times for appropriate glove use within health care workflow.
- To outline the value of campaigning, as one part of hand hygiene improvement activities, and demonstrate how to maximise use of WHHD 2025 resources.
- To outline the environmental and climate impact of gloves on waste generation and management, especially when used inappropriately.
- To stimulate WHHD 2025 activities in the lead up to 5 May 2025.