Antibiotics are a life-saving and life-altering resource. Quality of life as well as life span are affected by illnesses and the antibiotics that treat them. Unfortunately, antibiotic resistance is a global public health problem. President Obama announced that The White House will be addressing this problem by creating a special task force to combat the threat of drug-resistant bacteria, or superbugs. The White House deemed that superbugs are a threat to national security.
Superbugs do not respond to available antibiotics on the market and new drugs are needed. And while developing more and better drugs is a costly answer, there may be a simpler solution...provide easy-access to hand washing. That's right! It's that simple! Hand hygiene has long been recognized as the single most important preventative measure against infections. If we can prevent an infection there is no need for an antibiotic.
Yet many hospitalized patients do not perform hand washing frequently or appropriately. Fitsi assists patients with hand washing by making it easily accessible. It also raises awareness among the vulnerable hospital population about the importance of hand washing. Fitsi empowers patients to take control of their hand hygiene and, by performing this simple task more frequently, we can help stop the spread of infections and end the threat of superbugs.
I commend The White House for taking a stand on superbugs and hope that we can partake in this fight against these drug-resistant bacteria.
To your health!
Kathy, RN