Ministry To Intensify Hand Hygiene Campaign In Hospitals

PUTRAJAYA, May 15 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Health (MOH) will be intensifying a national campaign to promote hand hygiene in all hospitals, said its minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek.
It has produced a booklet containing the World Health Organization (WHO)'s guidelines on the importance of hand hygiene in the prevention and control of nosocomial or healthcare associated infections in hospitals and clinics.
These books are to be distributed to all states in the country.
As part of efforts, Chua said the ministry will be replacing the conventional cleaning tool, soap, to a alcohol based hand rubbing lotion recognized to be effective for hand disinfection.
"We don't see any difficulty (in replacing). Probably cost would be an element but the cost should not be a factor in our healthcare especially in a very basic replacement of soap to alcohol based hand rubbing lotion," he said after officiating the Affirmation of Malaysia's Commitment to the WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge 2005-2006 with the theme "Clean Care is Safer Care", here, Monday.
Earlier, he signed and presented Malaysia's Country Pledge to the WHO Representative for Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia Dr. Han Tieru.
He also presented the "WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Healthcare: A Summary" and the MOH Hand Hygiene booklets to directors of state health departments.
Also present were Director-General of Health Datuk Dr Mohd Ismail Merican, Leader of the Global Patient Safety Challenge, Geneva Prof. Dr Didier Pittet and Chairman of the Asia Pacific Society for Infection Control Prof. Seto Wing Hong.
Chua said the replacement will be carried out in stages and the ministry would have to also change the mind set of health workers who are used to the traditional method of soap and water.
"They are so used to the traditional method of soap and water, suddenly when they don't see soap, they feel they have not washed their hands."
The booklet is to address such misgivings.
He also explained that the usage of an alcohol based disinfectant was not a problem to Muslims since it was not for consumption and used only externally.
Earlier, Chua in his speech said that by signing the Country Pledge to support the Global Patient Safety Challenge of 2005 to 2006, Malaysia has joined the ranks of the WHO member states who have affirmed their commitment to the global patient safety movement.
He also said the Malaysian Cabinet and the ministry had made patient safety a national agenda and the formation of the Patient Safety Council two years ago was to lead national efforts in developing a safer Malaysian healthcare system.
"Three Technical Advisory Committees have been formed and are currently working on strategies and action plans to promote patient safety in their respective areas, namely clinical governance and risk management, blood transfusion safety and medication safety," he said.