Gloves Aren’t Enough: Experts Sound Alarm on Hand Hygiene in Hospitals
Health professionals have reaffirmed that wearing gloves cannot replace the essential practice of hand hygiene, urging medical personnel to prioritize regular handwashing.
This message was emphasized during a program marking the 2025 World Hand Hygiene Day, themed “Gloves May Be On, But Hand Hygiene Comes First.”
Medical leaders at the event stressed that cleaning hands with soap under running water remains the most reliable way to stop the spread of infections within hospitals and clinics.
Prof. Darlington Obaseki, Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), opened the event by underscoring that while gloves offer some protection, they are not foolproof without proper hand hygiene.
“Wearing gloves doesn’t absolve anyone from washing their hands. If your hands are dirty underneath, you’re still a threat to your patients and yourself,” he said.
Obaseki added that UBTH has already ensured the provision of water, electricity, and essential hygiene supplies like soap but called on healthcare leaders across Nigeria to uphold minimum safety standards and enforce compliance.
He also appealed to patients and their visitors to adopt regular handwashing to curb the spread of disease.
Delivering the keynote, Dr. Tochi Okwor, who leads the National Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Programme and chairs the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Coordination Committee at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), stated that maintaining clean hands is not just a task but a public health duty.
“Each time we clean our hands, we protect a life. Gloves can easily become tools for spreading germs if misused. There’s no substitute for clean hands,” Okwor emphasized.
She advocated for a comprehensive approach that includes IPC, antimicrobial resistance containment, water and sanitation hygiene (WASH), and proper diagnostic practices as Nigeria’s new healthcare benchmark.
Speaking during the event, Mrs. Edith Uwugiaren of Northamptonshire Healthcare, UK, addressed the improper use of gloves in Nigerian hospitals, noting that gloves are frequently misapplied — either worn for tasks that don’t require them or reused between patients.
“Gloves are meant to shield the healthcare worker, not the patient. When misused, they can cause more harm than good,” she warned, comparing poor glove practices to “dancing out of sync with the music.”
Mrs. Osagioduwa Oloru, Chief Environmental Health Officer at UBTH, gave a presentation on the correct way to dispose of used gloves, highlighting its role in preventing environmental contamination.
Also speaking, Dr. Esohe Ogboghodo, Chair of the UBTH IPC Committee, reported significant progress in minimizing infection rates within the facility, thanks to strengthened prevention strategies.
She noted improvements in sanitation procedures, infection control education, and linen handling, which have all contributed to a visible drop in hospital-acquired infections.
