14 October 2010
The most senior nurse at Epsom, Sutton and St Helier hospitals is backing the Global Handwashing Day tomorrow (Friday 15 October) and calling on local people to remember the role they have to play in helping to reduce the spread of infections.
Starting in 2008, Global Handwashing Day reinforces the importance of good hand hygiene, and focuses on the need for people to wash their hands with soap throughout the day.
As well as being Director of Nursing, Pippa Hart leads the Trust's work to reduce the spread of infections like MRSA. She said: "The day is aimed at helping people understand about the importance of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases.
"Handwashing with soap is among the most effective and inexpensive ways to prevent diarrhoea and pneumonia, and can help prevent the spread of acute respiratory (chest) infections. It can also help limit the spread of skin infections, eye infections and worms.
"Handwashing with soap works by interrupting the transmission of disease. Hands often act as transmitters, transferring bacteria that cause disease from person to person. This can be through direct contact or indirectly via surfaces such as door handles, tables and plates.
"There's a danger we think of good hand hygiene as more of a problem for the developing world, but it plays a crucial role in everyone's health all over the globe, from Sutton to Madrid and Epsom to Johannesburg.
"In particular, Global Handwashing Day is focused on the role children can play in making sure they wash their hands with soap at key times, such as before eating food and after going to the toilet.
Building on a successful inaugural Global Handwashing Day in 2008 - in which over 120 million children around the world washed their hands with soap in more than 70 countries - this year it is anticipated that millions of children across five continents will celebrate Global Handwashing Day again.
