It all starts with a simple message: « Clean hands save lives ».
Every year hospital-related infections kill 16 million patients. A procedure, disinfecting hands using alcohol-based hand rubs, saves between 5 and 8 millions lives every year. Nicknamed "Doctor Clean Hands" Didier Pittet, Professor of Medicine and Hospital Epidemiology, director of the Infection Control Programme at the University of Geneva Hospitals (HUG), fights since 1995 with his team against nosocomial diseases.

Almost 20 000 health facilities in 179 counties of the 194 United Nations member States have joined the programme of the World Health Organization (WHO) "Clean Care is Safer Care" launched on 13 October 2005, of which Dr Pittet is the Lead Advisor. "Few people know him or have even heard of his name, yet many owe their health and lives to him" wrote Dr. Margaret Chan, General Director of the WHO, in the introduction of the book « Clean hands save lives » by Thierry Crouzet.

The documentary film « Clean Hands », directed by Géraldine André and Stéphane Santini, demonstrates the incredible commitment and determination of a man to make alcohol-based hand disinfection an international standard of health care. It will be screened on Wednesday 9 March 2016, at the Espace Pitoëff, as part of the 14th edition of the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights (FIFDH). The screening will be followed by a discussion with the filmmakers and Professor Pittet.