World Hand Hygiene Day takes place on 5 May 2026.
This year’s theme, “Action saves lives,” is a reminder that good hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to prevent infection and keep patients and staff safe.
Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) affect patients every day across all care settings. They can cause harm, increase pressure on services, and contribute to antimicrobial resistance. Many of these infections can be prevented with the right infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.
Hand hygiene is a key part of this. The WHO 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene help staff know when to clean their hands:
- Before touching a patient
- Before clean or aseptic procedures
- After body fluid exposure risk
- After touching a patient
- After touching patient surroundings
Cleaning hands at the right time, and in the right way, helps reduce the spread of infection.
But good hand hygiene is not just about individual practice. It also depends on having the right systems in place. This includes regular monitoring of compliance, sharing feedback with teams, and making sure staff have access to the right facilities and resources.
World Hand Hygiene Day is a chance to reflect on current practice, review what’s working well, and identify where improvements can be made.
Small actions can make a big difference to patient safety.
