Sealed Air Partners with World Health Organization to Fight HAIs

Sealed Air Corporation announces it is one of the companies participating in the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Private Organizations for Patient Safety (POPS) platform. As part of this major initiative, Sealed Air will bring the expertise of its Diversey brand portfolio together with leading healthcare professionals to promote best practices in hand hygiene for healthier patient care environments.

The online platform aims to improve the implementation of WHO recommendations and reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) by allowing WHO participating companies to share information. As a participant of POPS, Sealed Air will collaborate in the alignment of promotional messages for hand hygiene products with WHO recommendations, continue to enhance the quality of hand hygiene products, and encourage product availability and accessibility in all parts of the world.

According to WHO, of every 100 hospitalized patients, at least seven in developed and 10 in developing countries will acquire a HAI. To reduce the risk of HAIs, WHO recommends specific hand hygiene methods involving soap and water or an alcohol-based formula. However, lack of awareness and resources limit hand hygiene in healthcare facilities.

"Cleanliness is essential to limiting the spread of infection within a healthcare institution," says Pedro Chidichimo, Diversey Business Unit leader, Sealed Air. "To give patients the best care possible, healthcare providers must be equipped with proper knowledge about HCAIs and solutions for keeping themselves and their patients safe at all times. We are dedicated to helping customers reduce HCAIs and believe that this collaboration will provide healthcare institutions with actionable information on hygiene which will ultimately result in improved healthcare."

As a leader in the cleaning and hygiene industry, Sealed Air is working to deliver effective infection control practices, products and tools through its Diversey branded products. Diversey is now a part of Sealed Air, a leader in food and other protective packaging solutions. Sealed Air recently completed its acquisition of Diversey, creating a global leader in food safety and security, facility hygiene and product protection.