Global Handwashing Day 2022 – 15 October

The importance of effective soap and water hand washing

October 15 is Global Handwashing Day, a global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.

This year’s theme is “Unite for Universal Hand Hygiene.”

Joint action and collaboration are essential for successful and sustainable hand hygiene strategies. This year’s theme calls for governments, donors, businesses, institutions, researchers, and advocates to unite in action to achieve the goal of hand hygiene for all.

Happy #GlobalHandwashingDay! Building on the progress made from previous years, we must #UniteforUniversalHandHygiene to ensure hand hygiene access and practice for everyone, everywhere.

The reason for Global Handwashing Day

“Currently, 3 out of 10 people worldwide lack access to basic hygiene services. Global Handwashing Day provides a platform to take action and increase access and practice of handwashing with soap to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation for All.”

Coordinated and collective action – hand hygiene has cross-cutting benefits beyond water, sanitation and hygiene and can impact our progress with antimicrobial resistance, neglected tropical diseases, child growth, and economic development.

Find out about the benefits of hand washing

The Global Handwashing Day 2022 factsheet list the huge number of benefits provided by effective hand hygiene.

“Hand hygiene can help reduce the transmission of a range of diseases:

“Handwashing with soap can reduce diarrheal diseases by 30%.
“Handwashing with soap can reduce acute respiratory infections by up to 20%.
“Handwashing with plays an important role in reducing the transmission of outbreak-related pathogens such as cholera, Ebola, shigellosis, SARS, hepatitis E, and COVID-19.
“Hand hygiene is protective against healthcare-associated infections and reduces the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
“Hand hygiene may contribute to the reduction of Neglected Tropical Diseases.”