Hand hygiene is the simplest, most effective, and most cost‑effective method to prevent healthcare‑associated infections and antibiotic resistance. To strengthen the emphasis on hand hygiene among healthcare workers and the public, the World Health Organization (WHO) designates May 5 each year as Hand Hygiene Day; this year (2026) the theme is “Action saves lives,” calling on all countries to take proactive action to implement hand hygiene.
To respond to the WHO Hand Hygiene Day activities, this year the hospitals participating in the CDC’s “Antibiotic Management and Infection Control Excellence Program” and the National Taiwan University Hospital’s “Antibiotic Resistance Prevention Center” jointly organized and participated in activities in a diversified manner. The CDC also attended response events held at NTU Hospital on May 5 and at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital on May 8, together with health bureaus, medical institutions, the Medical Policy Association, and others, demonstrating a collaborative commitment to implement hand hygiene and reduce healthcare‑associated infections and antibiotic resistance. The CDC stated that its long‑term policies fully align with WHO’s action goals, including incorporating hand hygiene into the national infection control action plan and the standard operating procedures at the institutional level, as well as including hand‑hygiene compliance monitoring and feedback as national indicators, to continuously promote hand hygiene and lower infection risk.
The CDC urges that implementing hand hygiene is one of the best ways to prevent infection. Healthcare workers and caregivers should observe the five moments for hand washing: “Before touching a patient or care recipient,” “Before performing clean or aseptic procedures,” “After exposure to a patient’s or care recipient’s bodily fluids,” “After touching a patient or care recipient,” and “After touching the patient’s or care recipient’s surrounding environment.” The public should also practice hand hygiene at the seven occasions: “Before eating,” “Before touching children,” “After using the toilet,” “After blowing the nose,” “Before and after medical visits,” and follow the correct seven‑step hand‑washing technique: “Inner,” “Outer,” “Between,” “Back of hands,” “Thumbs,” “Wrist,” “Finish.” Together, strengthen hand hygiene and maintain healthy habits, working together to curb pathogen transmission and prevent healthcare‑associated infections and antibiotic resistance.
Source: Centers for Disease Control
Data compiled: Surveillance Office
