New WHO campaign - Clean your hands

WHO have launched a new campaign – Save lives: Clean your hands. Very much needed indeed. One might think that the campaign target the citizens because of the swine flu but no. Despite the all the knowledge we have today about the essentials like this in healthcare those that seems to be targeted with the campaign are healthcare workers.

I find 3 basic instructions, first the My 5 moments on when and then the more practical instructions on How to handrub, and How to HandWash. Its good but not enough for safe care – the patients need to be in on it as well.

Drs Roizen and Oz with The Joint Commission published in 2006 “You the smart patient An Insider´s Handbook for Getting the Best Treatment”. It is an easy and enjoyable book to read – with some very good advice. The type of handbook everyone should have read, well it is a bit American, before any dealings with the healthcare system. Their take on this is radical – Declare Germ Warefare with some hands on tips of how to avoid the germs. Given for example the problems with MRSA in Europe today their small tips are well worth memorizing for when the day comes and your have to go to hospital.