Stakeholders in Nigeria’s health sector have called for urgent and sustained action on hand hygiene to reduce infections and save lives.

The stakeholders include the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), World Health Organisation (WHO), and the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDC).

They made the call on Tuesday in Abuja, during the 2026 World Hand Hygiene Day celebration, themed “Action Saves Lives,” where experts emphasised that consistent practice—not just knowledge—is critical to improving patient safety.

Head of Disease Prevention and Control, NCDC, Dr Tochi Okwor, said Nigeria has institutionalised hand hygiene as a national priority through its infection prevention and control (IPC) framework.

According to her, the framework is anchored on the philosophy of “One Nation, One Plan.”

Mr Okwor noted that initiatives such as “Turn Nigeria Orange for Ownership” and the “Orange Network” were designed to strengthen systems and ensure accountability across health facilities.

According to her, the major challenge in healthcare today is no longer lack of awareness but failure to act consistently.

“The issue is not whether we know what to do, but whether we do it every time, for every patient,” she said.

She cited real-life cases, including a fungal infection outbreak in a neonatal ward traced to poor hygiene practices, as well as infections acquired during hospital care that led to severe complications for patients.

She also warned that healthcare workers remain at risk of infectious diseases such as Lassa fever when hand hygiene protocols are not strictly followed.

“Every contact with a patient or their environment is a moment for hand hygiene. Missing that moment can have serious consequences,” she said.

Also speaking, the IPC on Lassa fever, WHO, Dr Muhammad Jalloh, stressed that while handwashing is widely practised across cultures, the key issue is doing it correctly.

Mr Jalloh noted that improper methods—such as shared washing water or incomplete hand coverage—can defeat the purpose of hand hygiene, even in healthcare settings.

The WHO official said the observance provides an opportunity to reinforce best practices and ensure that both communities and healthcare workers understand the importance of proper techniques.

“Hand hygiene, when done correctly, significantly reduces infections, but it requires the right infrastructure, including functional handwashing stations and availability of soap,” he said.

In his remarks, representative of USCDC, Dr Adeyemi Adelabu, highlighted the life-saving importance of hand hygiene, recalling his early medical experience where frequent handwashing was routine but not fully understood.

“Hand hygiene is not just a basic practice; it is something you do to save lives,” Mr Adelabu said.

He cited historical evidence dating back to the work of Ignaz Semmelweis, who demonstrated in the 19th century that proper handwashing significantly reduced maternal deaths.

The USCDC official expressed concern that hand hygiene compliance in many health facilities remains below 50 per cent, urging stakeholders to strive for 70 to 80 per cent compliance.

Stakeholders at the event emphasised that effective infection prevention requires more than awareness.

They said it needs infrastructure, monitoring systems, and sustained commitment from policymakers, healthcare workers, and development partners.

They called on health workers to see themselves as ambassadors of hand hygiene, noting that consistent practice would help build trust in the healthcare system and reduce the burden of infections.

The World Hand Hygiene Day is observed annually on May 5 to promote effective hand hygiene as a key strategy for preventing infections and improving patient safety globally. 

(NAN)