District health boards take part in World Hand Hygiene Day 2021
District health boards (DHBs) across the country got involved in this year's World Hand Hygiene Day on Wednesday 5 May 2021.
The World Health Organization (WHO) World Hand Hygiene Day theme for 2021 was ‘achieving effective hand hygiene at the point of care’. For those working in health care, this means adhering to the ‘5 moments for hand hygiene’: performing hand hygiene before and after contact with a patient or performing a procedure, and after leaving a patient’s surroundings.
Below are some images of activities and initiatives run by the DHBs throughout the day.
South Canterbury DHB
From left to right: Angela Foster (infection prevention and control (IPC) nurse) and Karen Foster (nurse coordinator quality and risk) from South Canterbury DHB in their World Hand Hygiene Day t-shirts.
Taranaki DHB
From left to right: Hailey Wells (IPC clinical nurse specialist), Jackie Heapy (health and safety manager), Bailey Harvey (occupational health clinical nurse specialist).
Waikato DHB
The Waikato DHB IPC team created a hand hygiene display for staff, patient and whānau information.
Front row from left: Siew Ling Ong (clinical nurse specialist IPC), Fiona Newell (clinical nurse specialist IPC), Bronya Bredesen (clinical nurse specialist managed isolation facilities), Zaina Ahmed (IPC administrator), Penny Barber-Tidd (registered nurse IPC), Smitha Soman (registered nurse IPC). Back row from left: Cam Howard (clinical nurse specialist sepsis), Tracey Kunac (clinical nurse specialist infectious diseases), Vicki Parry (clinical nurse manager IPC) and Marcia Jones (IPC administrator).
During the day, staff presented a Gold Auditor’s training workshop wearing their World Hand Hygiene Day t-shirts. The trainees then practised auditing in various clinical areas on 6 May. 
Richard Murray, a hand sanitiser representative from Whiteley Medical, set up a stand promoting the importance of hand hygiene in Waikato Hospital (pictured below). The stand featured a ‘glo germ’ demonstration and cupcakes for interested staff, patients and whānau.
Southern DHB
The Southern DHB IPC team promoted World Hand Hygiene Day while taking part in a national NZ point prevalence survey (PPS) for healthcare associated infections (HAIs) with the Commission.
From left to right: Claudia Williams (HAI PPS surveyor), Mike O’Brian (clinical nurse specialist IPC), Mandy Collins (clinical nurse specialist IPC), Jo Stodart (charge nurse IPC), Miriam Vollweiler (clinical nurse specialist IPC), Adrienne Morgan (clinical nurse specialist IPC).
Canterbury DHB
The Canterbury DHB teams took part in creative displays and activities across the organisation showcasing their commitment to hand hygiene and applauding the “Seconds save lives - clean your hands” theme during the May campaign.
Burwood Hospital display board, with Dinesh Lal (Nurse Educator)
Hillmorton Gold Auditor Kirsty Rundle RN with display board and wearing decorated high viz vest
Ashburton Hospital display board
Other supporters
World Hand Hygiene Day was also supported by Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and microbiologist and science communicator Dr Siouxsie Wiles.