Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) has underscored the need for people to practice handwashing to prevent different infections.

Speaking on the side-lines of the global handwashing day commemoration, which falls on 15 October, Tinnie Mthuzi a nurse at QECH responsible for quality issues said handwashing is significant because it can reduce 50% of infections.

Mthuzi also mentioned of the role that handwashing has played in preventing Covid-19 infections and other diarrhoeal diseases.

“As of 13October in the Covid-19 wards there were only five patients which signifies that we are making progress on handwashing,” said Mthuzi.

Hellen Mangochi, a study coordinator at the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust, said that one of the studies they are currently working on is on the culture of handwashing.

Mangochi said as partners of QECH they are committed to ensure that handwashing is promoted are all levels.

“It’s important to instill a handwashing culture in people, we are using posters to do this and they will be placed in strategic places at Q.E.C.H so that the word is spread across,” said Mangochi.

The 2021 Global Hand washing Day theme is “Hand Hygiene for All”.