In support of the World Hand Hygiene Day (5 May 2021), Professor Benjamin Cowling and Professor Wing-hong Seto, Co-directors of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control at HKU School of Public Health, participated in the World Health Organization (WHO)’s SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands global campaign by taking photos with the campaign promotional boards. 

Launched in 2009, the SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands global campaign is held annually on 5 May - the World Hand Hygiene Day, with the aim of maintaining global promotion, visibility and sustainability of hand hygiene in healthcare, and bringing people together to support hand hygiene improvement around the world.

The campaign slogan this year is “Seconds save lives – clean your hands”, which WHO calls on everyone to make clean hands our habit. Details of the campaign are available here. You may also click here for the introductory message by Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Deputy Director General; and Professor Didier Pittet, Director, Infection Control Programme & WHO Collaborating Centre on Patient Safety, The University of Geneva Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland. 

The School has been designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control for over 6 years with effect from 19 December 2014. As a staunch supporter of the WHO, the School is pleased to participate in the World Hand Hygiene Day to spread the important message of “hand hygiene saves lives”. 

Let’s join us to make clean hands your habit.