70% of healthcare related injuries can be avoided through prevention

On Friday, World Hand Hygiene Day, the World Health Organization said that about 70% of healthcare-related infections worldwide could be avoided through prevention.

The World Health Organization has warned that “the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent major outbreaks have shown how health care facilities can contribute to the spread of infection and harm to patients, health care workers and visitors, unless due consideration is given.” Report on infection prevention and control.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed many infection prevention and control (IPC) challenges and gaps in all regions and countries, including those with the most advanced programmes,” he said. say.

“It has also provided an unprecedented opportunity to assess the situation and rapidly increase pandemic preparedness and response through IPC practices, in addition to strengthening these programs across the health system,” said Dr. Tedros, calling for “ensuring that all countries are able to allocate the necessary human resources, supplies and infrastructure.” for this purpose “.

“Today, of the 100 patients treated in acute care facilities, seven patients in high-income countries and 15 patients in low- and middle-income countries develop at least one healthcare-associated infection during their hospital stay. On average, one dies of All ten patients as a result of this infection,” highlighted the World Health Organization.

People in intensive care and newborns are particularly at risk, according to the World Report on Infection Prevention and Control, which brings together elements drawn from the scientific literature and various reports, as well as new data from WHO studies.

The same source also notes that about one in four cases of sepsis is hospitalized and almost half of sepsis with organ dysfunction treated in adult intensive care units are health care related.

The new WHO report provides the first-ever global analysis of the situation on how infection control and prevention programs are being implemented in countries around the world, including at the regional and national levels.

Highlighting the harm to patients and healthcare workers from healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance, the report also discusses the impact and cost-effectiveness of infection prevention and control programs, as well as the strategies and resources available to countries to improve them.

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