World Hand Hygiene Day 2023
World Hand Hygiene Day is marked every year on 5 May, to raise awareness of the importance of handwashing to prevent the spread of infections.
Each year on 5 May, the “Save lives: Clean Your Hands” campaign takes place as part of a major global effort led by the World Health Organization (WHO) to mobilise people around the world to increase adherence to hand hygiene in all healthcare settings. This protects healthcare workers and patients from healthcare-associated infections caused by various pathogens.
Healthcare-associated infections, including those resistant to antibiotics, are a growing public health problem in Europe. However, a large percentage of these infections are preventable by improving hand hygiene practices.
ECDC supports this campaign and highlights the importance of infection prevention and control measures, especially hand hygiene, as key strategies to tackle the growing threat posed by antibiotic resistance.
Read the news story
Editable social media cards and multimedia
Join the conversation on social media by sharing the below cards and poster and using the hashtags: #CleanYourHands #InfectionPrevention. Editable versions are available so you can add your own translation.
Listen to the podcast
ECDC: On Air - Episode 37 - All (Clean) Hands on Deck
On this episode, we discuss the importance of handwashing to prevent catching or spreading infectious diseases in public spaces and in healthcare settings