Wash your hands, wear facemask, COVID-19 is still around, Otegbayo, UCH CMD cautions

Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital (UCH), Professor Abiodun Otegbayo says that Nigerians should not be lackadaisical about frequent hand washing and use of facemask, saying a patient with COVID-19 is still on admission at the hospital.

Professor Otegbayo, who spoke at the World Hand Hygiene Day celebration of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology at the hospital, said although the incidence of COVID-19 seems to be going down, Nigerians cannot afford to lower their guard because cases of the infection is still rising in many countries, including India.

The event, in collaboration with Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, World Health Organisation and Infectious Control African Network also had the infectious disease experts moving around the hospital to talk and demonstrate proper hand hygiene.

Professor Otegbayo, represented by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee at the hospital, Dr Abiodun Adeoye said by cleaning hands, a lot of infections will be prevented. He called for increased awareness on the benefits of handwashing in the hospital and the general public.

Head, Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Professor Aderemi Kehinde said maintaining adequate and strict hand hygiene is particularly important to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases within the hospital premises.

UCH’s Infection Control Nursing Officer, Mrs Adebimpe Gbaja said achieving hand hygiene in the hospital setting is particularly important before touching a patient, before clean and aseptic procedures, after body exposure risk, after touching a patient and after touching patient surroundings.

According to Mrs Gbaja, the hands of healthcare workers are the most common means for the spread of healthcare-associated infections, so maintaining strict hand hygiene will protect them and their patients from many infectious diseases.

Dr Adeola Fowotade, a virologist said despite working at the isolation centre for COVID-19 and since the infection started, she was able to stay free from it through habitual handwashing.

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