Dehradun. 15 th October 2022. Hand hygiene is an important and effective measure to reduce hospital acquired infections in hospital care settings. It was in the 19th-century, when Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis, first advanced the idea of “hand hygiene” in medical settings. To increase awareness about the same, celebration of Global Hand Washing Day with theme of United for safety, clean your hands was done on 15 th October 2022, at Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, Dehradun under aegis of
Department of Microbiology and Hospital Infection Control Committee of the hospital.
An overview of infection control measures taken by healthcare workers in order to reduce the incidence of healthcare acquired infections, of which hand hygiene audit report of the previous year was presented by the Infection control officer of institute, Dr. Iva Chandola. A dance was presented by MBBS students of the institute in order to increase awareness about the hand hygiene procedure. Another very important aspect to know about hand hygiene is when, how and how long to perform hand hygiene in hospital care settings. To elaborate further on the scientific aspects, a talk was delivered by the Head of Department of Microbiology, Dr. Sulekha Nautiyal.
During the talk, the five moments of hand hygiene given by World Health Organization (WHO) were discussed, the two most common methods i.e. hand washing and hand rub, their steps and duration for each was elaborated in details. A skit was performed by the infection control team on awareness of hand hygiene. Based on the previous year’s infection control related audits, Incharges of various wards and ICUs and nursing staff were given Certificates of Appreciation to acknowledge their tremendous efforts in field of Infection control practices to keep the infections at a minimum in hospital.
In order to keep the general public getting involved in the programme, leaflets were distributed to the attendants of patients who play a pivotal role in patient care apart from the healthcare workers. The programme came to end by signing a pledge to follow the appropriate hand hygiene measures at right situations in a right manner and for a right duration to fulfil thetheme of World Health Organization (WHO) for the year 2022 i.e. UNITED FOR SAFETY, CLEAN YOUR HANDS. In this programme, more than 100 doctors, medical students, nursing staff and nursing students enthusiastically participated and made the event a grand success.
The occasion was also marked by the auspicious presence of dignitaries who included Dr. Rajeev Acharya, Vice Principal, SGRRIM&HS and Professor, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Dr. Puneet Ohri, Vice Principal, SGRRIM&HS and Professor & Head, Deptt. of Community Medicine, Dr. Gaurav Raturi, Deputy Medical Superintendent, Shri Mahant Indiresh Hospital, Dr. R.K. Verma, Professor, Surgery & Chairperson, Hospital Infection Control Committee, Dr. Megha Luthra, Professor, Community Medicine, Dr. Ranjana Rohilla, Dr. Malviak Singh, Dr. Himanshu Narula and Dr. Kritiza Pandey.
