Director of Health Services

The Director of Health Services (DHS), Mr. Samuel Ngum has signed a Leadership commitment re-affirming the organisation’s unwavering commitment to ensuring safe, quality and dignified care through strengthened Hand Hygiene, Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in all CBC healthcare facilities. Mr. Ngum acknowledged that leadership commitment is critical to driving change and though leading by example and fostering a culture of safety, ensuring that clean care is delivered to every patient across all boards.

The event took place On May 9, 2026, at the DHS chapel hall in Nkwen Baptist Centre focusing on promoting health through basic handwashing and sanitizing under theme, “Action Saves Lives — Safer Care Starts with Clean Hands,” which calls on everyone to remember that safety is an act of intentionality.

Mr. Kongnyu Emmanuel, IPC/WASH Supervisor, gave a presentation which he noted the importance of hand hygiene in our facilities and daily lives. Working under the banner of Quality Healthcare to All, Infection, Prevention and Control have a focus of the year 2026, which involves: Strengthening action, compliance monitory and cost efficiency. He also threw light on the fact that although the leadership of the DHS Central Administration does not provide direct patient care, it remains on the frontline of ensuring safe care across all facilities.

“Leaders must champion hygiene because hygiene is a leadership responsibility,” the IPC/WASH Supervisor said. The leadership’s role, he clarified, is to ensure that the policies, the trainings, and the supervision we give correct these poor practices and lead by example to strengthen compliance monitoring. Mr. Kongnyu added that proper handwashing should take about 30 seconds to remove germs and stop their spread.

Mr. Kognyu demonstrated that it should take 20 to 30 seconds to sanitise and 40 to 60 seconds to fully wash your hands, mentioning that that the WHO recommends proper hand hygiene as the one most effective measure to prevent illnesses. He also highlighted a campaign launched on this day May 9th to realise the goal of making CBCHS Orange. The colour Orange represents safety and prevention and supports the global hand hygiene advocacy, meaning the more you promote hand hygiene practice, the more we turn orange.

The Director of Health Services, Mr. Samuel Ngum, once more, emphasised the importance of clean hands as the foundation of safe care, and the most effective, affordable, and accessible way to prevent infections in healthcare and communities. He went further to mention that Healthcare associated infections contribute to prolonged hospital stays, increased antimicrobial resistance and avoidable deaths. Regular washing of hands can also reduce preventable diseases such as diarrheal infections, respiratory illnesses, measles and cholera.

“Your action is someone’s safety. Your action is someone’s life,” he said. Mr Ngum urged patients and caregivers to also take up this practice as they also have a part to play in ensuring and promoting community wellbeing.