It might be gloves. It’s always hand hygiene.
Each year on May 5, World Hand Hygiene Day reminds us how vital clean hands are in protecting patients and health workers alike. The 2025 theme – “It might be gloves. It’s always hand hygiene,” which highlights an important message: even when gloves are worn, proper hand hygiene at the right moments and in the right way remains essential.
Hand hygiene is one of the simplest and most effective actions to prevent infections in healthcare. By 2026, the World Health Organisation (WHO) aims for hand hygiene compliance monitoring and feedback to be a national benchmark in all reference hospitals. Right now, only 68% of countries are reporting progress, and there’s more work to be done.
SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands
Since its launch in 2009, WHO’s SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands campaign has kept hand hygiene front and centre in healthcare conversations worldwide. It’s part of a larger global effort to prevent health care-associated infections (HAIs) and to support healthcare workers with practical tools and strategies.
The goal?
To bring people together around a simple but powerful idea:
Clean hands save lives.
Hand Hygiene and Universal Health Coverage
Hand hygiene isn’t just about safety in hospitals – it’s a key part of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), ensuring everyone can access quality health services without financial hardship. Good infection prevention and control practices, including hand hygiene, are critical for safer, more effective care across all health systems.
Resources and Tools for Hand Hygiene Improvement
WHO provides a suite of evidence-based tools to help facilities implement a multimodal strategy for better hand hygiene practices. These tools have been rigorously tested and developed with experts to help healthcare settings turn hand hygiene goals into lasting habits.
Support Better Hand Hygiene in Your Facility
At RapidClean New Zealand, we’re proud to support hand hygiene initiatives. Download your “Wash Your Hands” wall chart and keep hand hygiene front of mind every day.
For more information on World Hand Hygiene Day, please visit the WHO website
