From the WHO:

As part of a major global effort to improve hand hygiene in health care, led by WHO to support health-care workers, the SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands annual global campaign was launched in 2009 and is a natural extension of the WHO First Global Patient Safety Challenge: Clean Care is Safer Care work.

This year’s theme, “Fight antibiotic resistance … it’s in your hands,” highlights the role of infection prevention and control practices such as handwashing in preventing the spread of antibiotic resistance.

At the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine each year, Dr. Carolyn McDaniel teaches a new class of first-year students the #1 lesson in veterinary medicine: her lively hand washing technique. McDaniel tells the listening students “This is the Biosecurity Station,” McDaniel says as she gestures toward the sink and wash area.

“Washing your hands is the single most valuable way to prevent the transmission of pathogens.”

To learn more about disease transmission and antimicrobial resistance, check out our blog here.

The WHO campaign aims to galvanise action at the point of care to demonstrate that hand hygiene is the entrance door for reducing health care-associated infection and patient safety. It also aims to demonstrate the world’s commitment to this priority area of health care.