Namibia Marks World Hand Hygiene Day with Focus on Safety and New Health Tools. The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) joined the global community in commemorating World Hand Hygiene Day under the 2025 theme: “It Might Be Gloves. It’s Always Hand Hygiene.” The campaign underscores the critical role of hand hygiene in healthcare settings, reminding all health professionals and caregivers that gloves do not replace proper hand cleaning practices.
Aligned with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) “5 Moments for Hand Hygiene,” the Ministry used the occasion to reinforce infection prevention as a fundamental aspect of patient care. The message is clear: clean hands save lives—whether gloves are worn or not.
As part of the day’s commemoration, MoHSS officially launched three essential national documents aimed at strengthening health service quality and safety across Namibia:Clinical and Death Audit Guidelines – a framework to enhance clinical accountability and learning from adverse events;Standard Operating Procedure for Assessing Patient Experience – a tool to elevate patient-centered care through structured feedback;Paediatric Care Booklets – tailored guidelines to support healthcare workers in delivering consistent, high-quality care for children.
The launch of these tools signals Namibia’s continued commitment to improving healthcare delivery, with hand hygiene as a cornerstone of safe practice.
Speaking at the event, health officials emphasized that building a resilient and safe health system requires both behavioral change and operational guidance. The integration of hand hygiene into clinical protocols represents an investment in health security for patients and providers alike.