Deb Group Champions Significance of Hand Hygiene

This press release was provided by Deb Group. The Club Industry editorial staff was not involved in the creation of this content.

CHARLOTTE, NC– Deb Group Ltd (‘Deb’), the world’s leading occupational skin care company, announces its continued support of the annual SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands Day campaign. Started and led by the World Health Organization (WHO), May 5 is established as the day to highlight the significant role that proper hand hygiene plays in reducing infection, and to educate one and all on when and how to adhere to proper hand hygiene. This year’s theme is: strengthening healthcare systems and delivery – hand hygiene is your entrance door.  The campaign aims to galvanize action at the point of care to demonstrate that hand hygiene is the entrance door for reducing health care-associated infection and patient safety. It also aims to demonstrate the world's commitment to this priority area of health care.

According to the World Health Organization, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) have become an epidemic affecting millions of patients worldwide. Proper hand hygiene strengthens healthcare delivery by preventing healthcare-associated infections. In addition to saving patient lives, the prevention of spreading disease helps alleviate some of the costs hospitals may incur due to expensive therapies and extended and complex hospital stays to treat of infected patients. May 5 is an opportunity to remind the healthcare industry that proper hand hygiene is critical and a focus on improved compliance is a necessity in strengthening healthcare systems and delivery. 

“Deb Group applauds the WHO for shining light on the significance of hand hygiene, and is proud to be participating in this tenth year of May 5 activities to provide education and encourage best practices in healthcare hand hygiene,” states Michael Bogdanski, CEO of Deb North America . “As we continue to see the emergence and spread of infection across the globe, it’s imperative that healthcare organizations recognize hand hygiene as a priority for improving healthcare. May 5 allows us to educate and build broad awareness of hand hygiene’s role for those who work in healthcare, in other industries, and the general public alike.”

The WHO is encouraging healthcare organizations to participate by organizing a hand cleaning relay at their facility in hopes of breaking the current world record.  The WHO will be providing tools to healthcare organizations to measure the impact on hand hygiene compliance pre and post the relay event.  In addition, healthcare providers are asked to register to pledge their support in reducing hospital-associated infections.

Products like Deb’s InstantFOAM moisturizing hand sanitizer can support hospitals and healthcare organizations in reducing the spread of infection. Also key is widespread awareness of when and how to sanitize hands, including a 20 to 30 second wet time and full hand coverage.  

More information and resources for May 5 are available at info.debgroup.com/may5 and http://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/en/.

About Deb Group:
Headquartered in the U.K. and with North American headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., Deb Group provides dedicated skin care programs for a wide range of industries and organizations that value their employee and customer well-being.  The Deb product lines include Travabon, Stokoderm, Refresh, Estesol, Solopol, Kresto, Deb InstantFOAM, Stokolan and KrestoGT. Deb products are available in at least 100 countries, and it is estimated that more than 150 million people use Deb products every day in the workplace. In 2014, Deb acquired Stoko Skincare to create the world’s leading away-from-home skin care company and make hands truly matter in the workplace. To learn more, please visit www.debgroup.com.