WHO Highlights the Importance of Hand Hygiene Over Gloves on World Hand Hygiene Day
Hand hygiene remains one of the most effective, affordable, and universal tools in preventing the spread of infections and ensuring high-quality, safe medical care worldwide.
While medical gloves play a crucial role in preventing infection transmission, especially when there’s risk of exposure to blood and body fluids, they should never replace proper hand hygiene. On this World Hand Hygiene Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls on governments, healthcare facilities, and frontline workers around the globe to reinforce the practice of hand hygiene. It is a proven, cost-effective intervention that protects both patients and healthcare workers.
“Gloves can reduce the risk of infection, but they are no substitute for hand hygiene,” emphasized Dr. Bruce Aylward, WHO Assistant Director-General for Universal Health Coverage and Life Course. “On World Hand Hygiene Day, let us renew our commitment to improving hand hygiene practices in healthcare settings to safeguard the health of both patients and workers.”
Save Lives, Save Money, and Reduce Waste
Hand hygiene not only saves lives but also delivers significant economic returns. For every $1 spent on hand hygiene, up to $24.60 in economic benefits can be realized. However, 2 in 5 healthcare facilities still lack basic hand hygiene services, leaving 3.4 billion people vulnerable to infection.
Improper use of gloves can undermine infection control measures and contribute significantly to healthcare waste. A significant portion of this waste can be avoided by emphasizing proper hand hygiene and using gloves only when necessary.
Gloves Are Not Foolproof
Gloves are protective but far from perfect. They can become contaminated, just like hands, and are often misused. For example, healthcare workers may wear the same gloves between patients or during multiple procedures for the same patient. Overuse of gloves also adds to environmental damage.
An average university hospital in a developed country generates approximately 1,634 tons of healthcare waste each year, equivalent to over 360 African elephants. Much of this waste could be avoided if gloves were used properly and hand hygiene was practiced effectively. Most used gloves are considered infectious and require high-temperature incineration or special treatment, further stressing already overloaded waste management systems.
Immediate Action Required
The WHO urges national policymakers and healthcare communities to take immediate action to ensure the rational use of gloves and proper hand hygiene in healthcare settings. Suggested actions include:
- Establishing hand hygiene compliance as a national health system performance indicator by 2026, in line with the Global Action Plan and the Monitoring Framework on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), 2024-2030.
- Aligning national efforts with WHO’s guidelines on hand hygiene in healthcare settings.
- Providing training for healthcare workers on appropriate glove use and following WHO’s “5 Moments for Hand Hygiene” guidance.
- Focusing on reducing unnecessary glove use to minimize healthcare waste and ensuring resources are available to practice hand hygiene at the point of care.
- Preventing glove misuse by ensuring an adequate supply of high-quality gloves for healthcare workers.
On World Hand Hygiene Day, May 5, the WHO delivers a powerful reminder: “It might be gloves. It is always hand hygiene.”
