Zoom meeting.
Link: Register here
Date: Monday, 5 May 2025
Time: 10:30 a.m. (EDT)
Language: Spanish. Interpretation in English and Portuguese will be provided.
Context
Every year, millions of patients and healthcare workers are affected by healthcare-associated infections, many of which are preventable. These infections can trigger outbreaks, mainly caused by antimicrobial-resistant organisms. Implementing robust infection prevention and control programs improves the quality and safety of care, reduces complications such as sepsis, shortens hospital stays, and reduces the workload of healthcare workers.
Hand hygiene and environmental cleaning are among the most effective and cost-effective interventions to curb the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Wearing gloves is important in certain procedures, but it should never replace hand hygiene. This practice must be performed with the correct technique, both before and after glove use.
In the Americas, 15 countries have already included hand hygiene compliance as a key national indicator; however, progress remains to be made, especially in water, sanitation, and hygiene, including healthcare waste disposal.
Objetives
Promote hand hygiene good practices (following the WHO 5 Moments) and proper glove use (following WHO indications) throughout the healthcare workflow.
Promote the inclusion of hand hygiene in national IPC strategies and standard operating procedures at the healthcare facility level, aligned with the WHO Global Action Plan and Monitoring Framework 2024-2030 for IPC.
Raise awareness about how the inappropriate and unnecessary use of gloves impacts the environment and climate through healthcare waste.
Agenda
10:30 – 10:35
Opening remarks
Sylvain Aldighieri, Director of Communicable Disease Prevention, Control, and Elimination Department, Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO)
10:35 – 10:40
Message on World Hand Hygiene Day, 2025.
Jarbas Barbosa, Director Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO),
10:40 – 10:45
Moderator
Angel Rodriguez, Advisor, Clinical Management of Infectious Diseases, Department of Health Emergencies, PAHO/WHO
10:45 – 11:05
Moderator
Blanca Peñaloza, Consultant, Quality in Health Systems and Services, PAHO/WHO
11:05 – 11:20
Experts Panel
Pola Brenner, Representative of the Latin American Association for Infection Control (ASLACI)
Corey Forde, Ministry of Health of Barbados.
Fabrizzio Cannaval, Representative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
11:20 – 11:35
National experience on hand hygiene monitoring and compliance indicator
Brazil - Magda Machado de Miranda Costa
11:35 – 11:40
Closing Remarks
Pilar Ramón-Pardo, Chief, Antimicrobial Resistance Special Program, PAHO/WHO