Bacterial contamination of mobile handwashing stations in hospital settings in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

A study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo found that over one-third of mobile handwashing stations (mHWS) in healthcare facilities were highly contaminated with Gram-negative bacteria. The bacteria were found in water and soap samples from 26 hospitals, with 70.5% of mHWS displaying Gram-negative bacteria. The majority of the bacteria were multi-drug resistant, with meropenem-resistant isolates also present. The study suggests that the use of mHWS in healthcare facilities should be reconsidered, and measures to prevent contamination should be considered. The findings suggest that mobile handwashing stations should be rethought and measures to prevent contamination.