The January to June 2019 Handwashing Research Index is the result of a collaboration between the Global Handwashing Partnership and the USAID Water Communications and Knowledge Management Project. The index includes 36 peer-reviewed studies from 2019 that explore handwashing in connection with diverse programmatic areas.
Celebrated annually on October 15, Global Handwashing Day (GH Day) is an annual global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an easy, effective, and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.
SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands brings people together in support of hand hygiene improvement globally and to progress the goal of maintaining a global profile on hand hygiene in health care. The 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.
The findings in this first multi-country review of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in health care facilities (HCFs) are sobering. Drawing on data from 54 low- and middle-income countries, the report concludes that 38% lack access to even rudimentary levels of water, 19% lack sanitation and 35% do not have water and soap for handwashing. When a higher level of service is factored in, the situation deteriorates significantly.
The Global Handwashing Partnership (GHP) 2018 Handwashing Research Index is a research summary meant is to increase the research focus on handwashing. In 2018, they found 155 studies which explore handwashing in connection with diverse programmatic areas in global health and development, varying from urban design to maternal and child health. They selected these entries selected from peer-reviewed literature published in 2018.
When responding to outbreaks of cholera, typhoid fever, Ebola virus, and other infectious diseases the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) often works with partners to improve drinking water safety and hygiene in health care facilities (HCFs). Typical engagements include distributing locally made, portable handwashing and drinking water stations; providing education; and supplying soap for handwashing and products for onsite chlorination of drinking water.
Since 2016, USAID/Ghana, through its WASH For Health program, has been working with 35 local Rotary clubs and governmental agencies to improve water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions for more than 75,000 people, by 2020, as part of the Rotary–USAID public-private partnership.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invests in WASH initiatives in health care facilities (HCF) in order to reduce morbidity and mortality related to inadequate WASH in HCF, and to fulfill a commitment to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in both WASH and health.
Global Handwashing Day is an annual global campaign day celebrated October 15th. This day is dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an easy, effective, and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.
Diarrhoeal disease is the second leading cause of death in children under five years old. Handwashing with soap can reduce the risk of diarrhoeal disease by up to 48% but knowledge of its importance for disease prevention is not always reflected in practice.
Oxfam, Unilever's Lifebuoy soap and Unilever's Chief Sustainability Office have developed Mum's Magic Hands, an interactive approach based on storytelling which uses field tested, emotional and health motivators to promote effective hand washing in communities affected by emergencies.
