When good hand hygiene and other infection prevention and control (IPC) measures are followed, 70 percent of infections can be prevented in health care settings, according to this new report by WHO.

This document provides a detailed summary of the content of the WHO global report on infection prevention and control (IPC). It includes a global situation analysis of how IPC programmes are being implemented in countries around the world, according to evidence from the scientific literature and various reports, and new data from WHO studies. It also highlights the harm to patients and health workers caused by health care-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance, addresses the impact and cost-effectiveness of IPC programmes and the strategies and resources available to countries to improve them. Primarily, this document targets those in charge of making decisions and formulating policies in the field of IPC at the national, subnational and facility levels. [2]