Disinfectant brand Dettol, owned by British company Reckitt, participated in an event to celebrate World Hand Hygiene Day organised by the HCMC University Medical Center.

The event attracted around 3,000 staff and 7,000 patients and their relatives at the hospital, who delivered the message “Unite for safety: Clean your hands.” To help promote hand hygiene among the community, Dettol has also installed 15 Dettol hand sanitiser booths in convenient places around the hospital to best serve medical staff, patients and relatives.

Dettol and Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital spread the message “Unite for safety: Clean your hands.”

Giving a speech at the event, Dr Huynh Minh Tuan, Head of the Infection Control Department, HCMC University Medical Center, said the World Health Organization (WHO) had chosen May 5 as World Hand Hygiene Day to help healthcare workers strengthen hand hygiene practices, thereby raising awareness of the important role of cleaning hands in public health.

In May and June 2022, various activities were held at the hospital to promote hand hygiene so that healthcare practices could be carried out effectively and safely.

Dr Huỳnh Minh Tuấn, Head of the Infection Control Department, University Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City, speaks at the event.

“Dirty hands can be a source of bacterial infection,” Dr Tuan said. “Hand hygiene is the easiest, simplest, least expensive, and most effective measure against infection control. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen hand hygiene in hospitals, homes, workplaces, and public places.”

To create a healthy environment, raise awareness of hand hygiene in healthcare, prevent the risk of disease transmission as well as ensure the safety of medical staff, patients, and family members, the HCMC University Medical Center’s Infection Control Department has organised a series of activities in response to World Hand Hygiene Day (May 5) themed “Unite for safety: Clean your hands.”

Through this series of activities, this year’s World Hand Hygiene Day celebrations have contributed to raising awareness of hand hygiene, preventing the risk of disease transmission, and ensuring the safety of medical staff, patients, and their families at the hospital, said Dr Tuan. 

Since the pandemic broke out across the country, Dettol has donated products to many hospitals. 

Meanwhile, Soren Bech, General Director of Reckitt Vietnam, said Dettol disinfectant had made a great contribution to protecting public health during the global Covid-19 pandemic from the beginning of 2020.

In Viet Nam, in 2020 and 2021, Reckitt presented surface disinfectant products and antiseptic hand sanitisers to many field hospitals and medical centres for children, obstetrics, and gynaecology across the country.

The timely handover of Dettol products has significantly contributed to cleaning hospital surfaces, helping protect doctors, medical staff, patients, and their relatives in the most challenging times of the outbreak.

“We are proud that the Ministry of Health has confirmed Dettol for its effectiveness in almost eliminating viruses and bacteria. That's why we want, through Dettol, to work with our partners to raise awareness of hand hygiene for the community. We together are united for safety. Please clean your hands!” said Soren.

At the event, the HCMC University Medical Center held a contest on learning about hygiene for students with prizes for the winners.