Don canvasses strict hand hygiene for paediatric care
Hygiene
By Ahmed Kaigama
Bauchi, Jan. 20, 2026 (NAN) A don, Dr Sani Giade, has called on paediatric healthcare workers to prioritise proper hand hygiene.
Giade, a lecturer at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) College of Medical Sciences, Bauchi, made the call at a capacity building programme held for healthcare workers on Tuesday in Bauchi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was organised by the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Programme at the College of Medical Sciences, ATBU.
NAN also reports that the training focused on the foundations of infection prevention and control, with special emphasis on hand hygiene as a critical tool for preventing infections in health facilities.
“Poor hand hygiene among healthcare workers remains a major contributor to healthcare-associated infections.
“It is one of the most effective and life-saving practices in healthcare delivery, particularly in high-risk clinical settings.
“Such infections often result in prolonged hospital stays, increased medical expenses and preventable deaths, especially among vulnerable patients,” Giade said.
He said that simple measures, such as correct hand-washing techniques and appropriate use of alcohol-based hand rubs could significantly reduce the transmission of infections within hospitals.
According to him, the importance of hand hygiene is even greater in units that care for newborns, children and pregnant women.
“In places like the Special Care Baby Unit and the Emergency Paediatric and Early Pregnancy Units, hand hygiene is not optional.
“It is a critical safety measure that directly determines survival outcomes,” he said.
The don explained that the programme combined theoretical sessions with practical demonstrations to ensure that participants understood when and how to perform hand hygiene in line with global best practices.
While urging the workers to apply the knowledge acquired consistently in their daily routines, he noted that sustained behavioural change among healthcare workers would significantly improve patient safety.
“The training forms part of a broader commitment to strengthening infection prevention practices and reducing preventable child and maternal deaths in Bauchi State,” he lecturer said.
NAN reports that participants at the training included: healthcare workers from the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) and the Emergency Paediatric Unit.
Others were the staff members of Early Pregnancy Unit (EPU) of the teaching hospital as well as staff members of the Specialist Hospital, Bauchi.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
MAK/EEI/WAS
========
Edited by Esenvosa Izah and ‘Wale Sadeeq
