Some of the medical workers that graced the International Hand-washing Day celebrations at Uganda Martyrs Hospital, Lubaga on Thursday, May 9. Photo by Mathias Mazinga

KAMPALA - Celebrations to mark International hand-washing Day were held at Uganda Martyrs Hospital, Lubaga, on Thursday with a call on medical workers to champion the crusade for hand-hygiene.

In her message, which was delivered by Dr Emmanuel Batiibwe (the Executive Director of Naguru Referral Hospital who represented her at the function), the state minister of health for general duties, Sarah Opendi said hospital-acquired infections posed a threat to the recovery of patients and the general health of people in the communities, which was why medical workers had to prioritise hand-washing when doing their work.

Dr. Emmanuel Batiibwe (with microphone) delivers his message as Dr. Andrew Sekitoleko listens

 
Medical workers play a crucial role in the promotion of hand-hygiene because they handle patients from whom infections can easily be transmitted. Patients who come to the hospital also expect healing, not more infections.

“Hand hygiene should, therefore, be a policy for all hospitals and health facilities. If we develop a culture of proper hand-hygiene practices, infections will drop. The policy of giving health care to all people will be achieved and we shall subsequently achieve the UN development goals,” Dr. Batiibwe read from the statement.

Nurses from Lubaga Hospital washing their hands from a hand sanitiser during the function

 
Earlier during the function, the head of hospitals and lower level facilities at the ministry of health, Dr. Bernard Opar also put it to the medical workers to be even keener on infection control in their respective facilities.

The Executive Director of Lubaga Hospital, Dr. Andrew Sekitoleko thanked the government for giving Lubaga the honour of hosting the celebrations and assured the government and the public of the commitment of the hospital to hand-hygiene.

Students from St Michael Lubaga Hospital Nursing School singing a song about hand-washing during the celebrations

 
The function was also graced by representatives from Saraya Manufacturing Uganda, Japanese Company that manufactures hand sanitisers, who also gave a talk on hand-hygiene practices.

During the function, the participants were taken through a tour of the hospital’s hand-hygiene installments (provided by Saraya). The tour was directed by the hospital’s hygiene officer, Sr Ruth Nkwangu.

Some of the participants during a tour of hand-washing installations in Lubaga Hospital

Dr. Bernard Opar interacts with the participants during the function