The Semmelweis Foundation (Dr Ignaz Semmelweis Society) is an open, independent, non-profit organisation founded in 2012 in Vienna, Austria, by a group of dedicated individuals. The foundation is named after the famous Hungarian physician Dr Ignaz Semmelweis, who is considered the forerunner of hand disinfection, modern antisepsis and evidence-based medicine. Active in various countries in the entire region of Central Eastern Europe, the foundation works to raise awareness of hospital hygiene and infection prevention among experts as well as the general public. The Semmelweis Foundation cooperates closely with the WHO.
The aim of the foundation is to improve the level of hygiene in healthcare facilities, lower infection rates and ultimately to save lives.
