Princess Marina Hospital (PMH) joined the global health community in commemorating World Hand Hygiene Day, underscoring the importance of hand hygiene in saving lives and preventing infections in healthcare settings. The event, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), brought together health professionals, administrators, and the public under the banner of this year’s theme: “It might be gloves. It’s always hand hygiene.”

Ahead of the main programme, participants took part in a spirited fitness walk, demonstrating the broader message of healthy living and prevention. The walk, which attracted hospital staff and members of the community, set the tone for the day’s emphasis on proactive, preventive health measures.

Delivering keynote remarks, WHO Officer and IPC Technical Advisor Ms. Boingotlo Ramontshonyana emphasized that hand hygiene remains one of the most effective and low-cost interventions to stop the spread of infections in healthcare facilities. She noted that while gloves play a critical role in protecting health workers and patients, they are no substitute for clean hands. “Medical gloves play a critical role in preventing infection transmission, but the use of gloves is not a substitute for cleaning of hands,” she said.

Ms. Ramontshonyana expressed concern over low global compliance levels, averaging just 59.6% in intensive care units and pointed to the added environmental burden caused by the overuse of disposable gloves during pandemics like COVID-19. She called for appropriate glove use alongside consistent hand hygiene.
She also urged health workers to adopt the WHO’s 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene, which are:
1.    Before touching a patient
2.    Before a procedure
3.    After a procedure or body fluid exposure risk
4.    After touching a patient
5.    After touching a patient’s surroundings

“These five simple steps are powerful in reducing healthcare-associated infections and protecting both patients and health workers,” she said.

Matron Tumisang Lesetedi, speaking on behalf of PMH, echoed the call for stronger hand hygiene practices, stating:
“Hand hygiene is the simplest, most cost-effective way to protect both patients and healthcare workers.”
She encouraged staff to lead by example and foster a culture of cleanliness and safety, not only within hospital walls, but also among families, schools, and communities.

Both speakers emphasized the need for hand hygiene compliance to be integrated into national infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies, with a goal for all reference hospitals in Botswana to meet WHO monitoring standards by 2026. The participants were reminded that maintaining clean hands is not just a routine, but a responsibility, one that safeguards lives every day.