More than 3.5 million patients in the European Union are infected with healthcare-related infections each year, and these are linked to over 90,000 deaths per year.
Nosocomial infections are one of the biggest threats to patient safety, but also a key factor in the burden on health systems.
Cyprus is recording a particularly worrying picture since according to the most recent available data from the European Centre for Infection Control (ECDC – 2024) about 13.8% of patients in Cypriot hospitals have at least one nosocomial infection, a percentage almost double the European average. At the same time, about 56% of hospitalized patients take antibiotics, which increases the risk of developing resistant microbes and further aggravates the situation.
On the occasion of today's World Hand Hygiene Day, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control brings back to the fore the simplest and most critical prevention measure, hand hygiene.
Experts emphasize that a significant percentage of nosocomial infections are transmitted through contact, mainly from the hands of health professionals. Despite its simplicity, the correct implementation of hand hygiene is not always a given, which makes strengthening it a key priority.
In this context, the ECDC published today a new guide for the development and implementation of infection prevention and control (IPC) programs in member states.
This guide, among other things, makes recommendations on:
-The creation of organized training programs, both in terms of the population and at the hospital level
-Continuous monitoring and evaluation
-Staff training
-The use of data for targeted interventions.
The guide also highlights the importance of behaviour change and daily compliance with hygiene practices.
Alongside the guide, ECDC is also presenting hyFive today. A specialized digital tool for hospitals and healthcare professionals, which helps monitor hand hygiene in real-time and improve practices within healthcare structures. This tool records the compliance of healthcare professionals, identifies weaknesses and provides data for immediate decision-making.
-Continuous monitoring and evaluation
-Staff training
-The use of data for targeted interventions.
The guide also highlights the importance of behaviour change and daily compliance with hygiene practices.
Alongside the guide, ECDC is also presenting hyFive today. A specialized digital tool for hospitals and healthcare professionals, which helps monitor hand hygiene in real-time and improve practices within healthcare structures. This tool records the compliance of healthcare professionals, identifies weaknesses and provides data for immediate decision-making.
