The Role of Family and Hand Hygiene in Vietnam's Hospitals

On the 15th of October, celebrating the Global Handwashing Day, Saraya celebrated several events around the world in order to promote proper handwashing in hospitals. On these events, we always go to hospitals and emphasize the importance of using alcohol sanitizer, properly washing your hands after critical moments in the fight against infections, such as when touching a patient or going to the bathroom.

One of these events, which was celebrated in Cho Ray Hospital, at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, had a slightly different approach. When visiting a hospital, we generally aim our events to doctors and nurses, where most points of touch occur, but Vietnam has an important characteristic: family takes a greater role. In Vietnam it is normal that a patient's family will come to visit the ill on a regular basis, staying long periods of time and even getting involved in the healing process, something that occurs on a much lesser degree in other countries. This means that family members are constantly touching the patient, with the increase in risk that this entails. For this reason, on this occasion, we organized an event not only for healthcare staff but also for patients and their families, ensuring that when they touch the ones they care, they do it in a safe and hygienic manner.

During the event, Saraya Greentek's activities appeared on television, in an educational video that we are sharing below, where the steps for a proper hand wash are given.