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Speaking at the opening of the program held at the Hacettepe University Cultural Center, Prof. Dr. Serhat Ünal, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, emphasized the importance of hand hygiene in hospitals and gave the message, "If you have touched something you feel is dirty, you must also touch water and soap."
Dr. Hasan Güler, Deputy Director General of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, stressed that they are working on preventing hospital infections in all institutions and stated that an important parameter of this work is "increasing hand hygiene compliance." Dr. Toker Ergüder, Tobacco Control Program Officer, speaking on behalf of the World Health Organization (WHO), gave information about the "Clean Care is Safer Care" campaign.
Prof. Dr. Arzu Topeli İskit, Chief Physician of Hacettepe University Adult Hospital, expressed that resistant infections have become a serious problem in Türkiye and that hand hygiene is an important step in preventing them. After the opening speeches, Prof. Dr. Rahmet Güner, a faculty member of the Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Clinic of Ankara Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, gave a presentation titled "The Importance of Hand Hygiene."
The "World Hand Hygiene Day" event, which also featured performances by the Hicaz Kari music group and the Tımbıka Ritm ensemble, attracted great interest.

The following thank-you message regarding the campaign was published by Professor Dr. Didier Pittet of the World Health Organization:

“As we all know very well, clean hands save lives. The energy and commitment shown around the world on 5 May is incredible! Health workers all over the world try to keep their patients healthy every day with this simple but life-saving action. Our social movement has demonstrated this. Please continue to promote hand hygiene as a basic indicator of safe health care systems. I thank you and look forward to seeing more 5 May activities organized by you.”