Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo says 100 percent of the health facilities constructed since 2022 across the country have boreholes and water reticulated providing running water and flushable toilets.
Speaking during the launch of the World Hand Hygiene Day in Lusaka , Ms Masebo disclosed that 709 out of 2,587 of the old health facilities for both staff and patients that lacked running water now have running water and water borne toilets.Ms Masebo stated that the government is working towards ensuring all the health facilities get connected to running water through the Ministries of Health, Water Development and Sanitation as well as Local Government and Rural Development.
She observed that Infectious Prevention Control (IPC) compliance through hand hygiene has increased from 45 percent to 55 percent between 2020 and 2023 particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Masebo mentioned that the government has developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) targeting healthcare workers focusing on the continuous improvement of standards for healthcare settings especially the maternity annexes, theatres including healthcare waste management stations.
She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the health care facilities to promote and reinforce hand hygiene interventions as 80 percent of all infection’s humans suffer from are transmitted by hands.
The Minister implored the general public to wash their hands at all critical times like before and after eating, after visiting the toilet, after touching babies’ nappies and bottoms as it will promote good hand hygiene and eliminate disease causing microorganisms.On May 5, 2024 Zambia will join the rest of the world to commemorate the World Hand Hygiene Day in Health Care Facilities under the theme “Unite for Safety, Clean Your Hands
Source: Lusakatimes
