Give a big hand to Saint Agnes hospital and its sanitizing relay

As part of a worldwide campaign to emphasize hygiene by hospital workers, Fresno’s Saint Agnes Medical Center participated Thursday in a giant hand-sanitizing relay.

The event was organized by the World Health Organizaton under its “Save Lives: Clean Your Hands” program.

The event was intended to highlight the importance of hand hygiene for patient health and worker safety. “Preventing infections and reducing an avoidable burden on health systems is still critical around the world today and is part of making sure every health-care setting is safe for treating every single patient,” WHO said.

The relay began on the Saint Agnes’ front lawn and progressed to every floor and department in the hospital. Along with staff and patients, local dignitaries in Fresno County’s health departments joined in, sanitizing their hands with squirt bottles labeled “Clean Hands Saves Lives.”

This story was originally published May 5, 2016 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Give a big hand to Saint Agnes hospital and its sanitizing relay."