HAIs result in death, disability and costs to health systems and patients, whilst the increased use of antibiotics to manage them contributes to the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) are the most frequent adverse outcome in healthcare delivery worldwide-at least one in 10 patients acquire an infection whilst receiving care in health facilities in low-and-middle-income-countries (LMICs). More research is required on tailoring IPC programmes so that they can be feasible and sustainable in unstable settings.
The findings are increasingly relevant today as they provide evidence of the fragility of IPC programmes in these settings. These strategies present opportunities for learning and knowledge exchange across contexts, particularly in the face of the current global coronavirus pandemic. Hospitals included in this study demonstrated how they overcame certain challenges in the face of limited resources and funding. We also found examples of local strategies for improving IPC in the face of limited resources, including departmental IPC champions and illustrated guidelines for in-service training. High patient numbers, supply chain disruptions, high infection rates and attacks on healthcare infrastructures, all as a direct result of conflict, exacerbated existing challenges and imposed an additional burden on hospitals and their IPC programmes. We found that inadequate hospital infrastructure, resource and workforce shortages, education of staff, inadequate in-service IPC training and supervision and large visitor numbers are barriers to IPC in hospitals in this study, similar to barriers seen in other resource-limited settings.
We explored barriers and facilitators to IPC, as well as the direct impact of conflict on the hospital and its’ IPC programme. In January and February of 2020, we conducted semi-structured interviews with hospital staff working for the International Committee of the Red Cross across eight conflict-affected countries (Central African Republic, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Nigeria, Lebanon, Yemen and Afghanistan). To improve IPC in these settings it is necessary to understand the specific barriers and facilitators experienced locally. However, armed conflict and widespread violence can negatively affect the quality of health care through workforce shortages, supply chain disruptions and attacks on health facilities and staff.
Effective infection prevention and control (IPC) is crucial to ending avoidable HAIs and an integral part of safe, effective, high quality health service delivery. In conflict-affected settings HAIs, in particular surgical site infections, are prevalent. Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) are the most frequent adverse outcome in healthcare delivery worldwide.
0 kommentar(er)
