Questions and answers on gloves and hand hygiene (April 2025)
World Hand Hygiene Day 2025
#handhygiene
It might be gloves. It's always hand hygiene
Medical gloves are used in healthcare and are defined as disposable gloves used during medical procedures. These gloves can get contaminated as easily as bare hands and do not protect 100%. When worn, gloves should be removed, for example, after touching a patient and hand hygiene performed immediately as per the WHO 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene.
Regardless of whether gloves are worn, hand hygiene at the right times and in the right way is still one of the most important measures to protect patients and health workers in healthcare. By 2026, hand hygiene compliance monitoring and feedback should be established as a key national indicator, at the very least in all reference hospitals. Currently 68% of countries report they are doing this.
Excessive glove use contributes significantly to the volume of health care waste. Appropriate glove use and hand hygiene can help minimize this waste. Using gloves when not indicated wastes resources and does not necessarily reduce transmission of germs. An average university hospital generates 1,634 tons of health care waste each year and this number is increasing 2-3% per year (especially since COVID-19); wealthier countries generate more waste.
About WHHD 2025
- In 2025, WHO celebrates 17 years of this global campaign.
- The 2025 SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands campaign day coincides with the need for countries to rapidly consider implementation of the global action plan and monitoring framework on infection prevention and control (IPC) – supported by a guide to implementation – and the need to continue to improve IPC as demonstrated in the latest WHO IPC global report.
- One of the WHO indicators is hand hygiene compliance monitoring and feedback established as a key national indicator, at the very least in all reference hospitals by 2026.
- Additionally, the WHO Framework for Action 2024-2030 focused on WASH, waste and electricity services highlights the need for universal safe access to ensure quality of care (linked to climate and health), including by integrating WASH and waste requirements into health system planning, programming, financing, implementation and monitoring, which can in part be supported by IPC efforts.
- Therefore, it is recognized and reinforced that at this time countries and health care facilities should continue to highly prioritize optimal hand hygiene practices (using the appropriate technique and according to the WHO 5 Moments) alongside appropriate glove use, including through greater awareness and supported by IPC practitioners as part of an IPC team and programme.
Objectives of WHHD 2025
- Promote optimal hand hygiene practices (using the appropriate technique and according to the WHO 5 Moments) and the times for appropriate glove use within the health care workflow.
- Promote inclusion of hand hygiene within national IPC strategies, as well as standard operating procedures (SOPs) at facility level, according to the recommendations of the WHO global action plan and monitoring framework 2024-2030.
- Raise awareness of the environmental and climate impact of gloves on waste generation and management, especially when used unnecessarily.
Advocacy material
#handhygiene
Don't forget to use #handhygiene with your campaign related posts!
Wish to show commitment to the campaign?
You can use the virtual badges, the advocacy slide in your presentations or the background for your virtual meetings.
WHHD related events calendar
Events at HQ
Recording of past events
Recordings of past events are accessible from the event page. Click on the item of interest below.
WHHD in the regions
Campaign essentials
This video is subtitled in several languages. Click on the above video to access the other languages.
Main campaign posters
These posters are also available in all other UN languages, please click on read more on the asset of interest to access all the different languages.
28 January 2025
WHHD 2025 main campaign poster (light)
It might be gloves. It's always hand hygiene.
Health and care workers
Practice hand hygiene as per the WHO 5 Moments and use gloves appropriately
- Follow guidance on when and how to clean your hands and when to use gloves.
- Understand that gloves do not replace the need for hand hygiene.
- Be aware of how glove waste impacts overall waste management and the environment/climate change.
Supporting resources:
- All 5 Moments resources
- WHO Hand Hygiene and gloves (leaflet)
- How to put on single use, disposable gloves & how to remove them (video)
Download the poster
18 February 2025
WHHD 2025 Target audience posters: Health and care workers
It might be gloves. It is always hand hygiene
IPC professionals
Educate health and care workers on the appropriate use of gloves, as well as the WHO 5 Moments for hand hygiene.
- Support others to learn about when and how to perform hand hygiene.
- Promote the importance of access to hand hygiene products at point of care and toilets.
- Support others to learn about when to use gloves.
- Seek input from health and care workers about access to hand hygiene products and availability of gloves.
Supporting resources:
- All 5 Moments resources
- WHO hand hygiene and gloves (leaflet)
- Follow the waste hierarchy model for safe and sustainable health care waste management
- Waste management in health care training module, and Climate Resilience Module, including healthcare waste management
- WASH FIT training course (modules on waste and hand hygiene)
- WASH FIT guide (hand hygiene module)
18 February 2025
WHHD 2025 Target audience posters: IPC professionals
It might be gloves. It is always hand hygiene
Managers and leaders
Include hand hygiene within national IPC strategies, as well as standard operating procedures (SOPs) at facility level.
- Follow the recommendations of the WHO global action plan and monitoring framework 2024-2030.
- Support universal access to hand hygiene products at the point of care and toilets.
- Establish hand hygiene compliance monitoring and feedback as a national indicator.
- Save costs and reliance on supply chains by using gloves only when appropriate.
- WHO global action plan and monitoring framework 2024-2030
- Ward infrastructure survey
- Hand hygiene self-assessment framework 2010
- Global Framework for Action 2024–2030 for water, sanitation, hygiene, waste and electricity services in all health care facilities
18 February 2025
WHHD 2025 Target audience posters: Managers and leaders
It might be gloves. It is always hand hygiene
People who access care
Be aware of the correct times for your care provider to clean their hands and to wear gloves.
- Be aware that gloves are not a replacement for hand hygiene.
- Be aware of how glove waste impacts overall waste generation and the environment/climate change.
Download the poster
18 February 2025
WHHD 2025 Target audience posters: People who access care
It might be gloves. It is always hand hygiene
Assets are available on all UN languages
#handhygiene Don't forget it in your campaign related posts!
