Evidence to Action: Advancing Hand Hygiene for All

On 18 September 2025, global health leaders convened at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to launch the BMJ Global Health supplement on hand hygiene in community settings and preview the forthcoming WHO/UNICEF Global Guidelines, released on Global Handwashing Day, 15 October 2025. Chaired by Dr Oliver Cumming of LSHTM, the event explored the evidence behind effective hand hygiene policies, practices and implementation. Speakers highlighted findings from five systematic reviews covering behavioural drivers, interventions, hand hygiene station design, organism removal, government measures and minimum material requirements. The discussion also examined how evidence can support practical guidance for countries, schools, workplaces and communities, and how hand hygiene can be strengthened as both a public good and a preparedness priority. Speakers included Prof Liam Smeeth, Dr Bethany Caruso, Ms Joanna Esteves Mills, Dr Rüdiger Krech, Dr Jocalyn Clark, Mr Chris Carter, Dr Colin Brown, Ms Jenala Chipungu, Dr John Hines, Dr Meera Gandhi and Dr Kamran Abbasi.