Experts thrash strategy to curb infection in hospitals

EHM News Bureau - Mumbai

There is a rise in infection rate in Indian hospitals leading to serious consequences. Such a situation is attributed to hospitals’ reluctance to invest in infection control, lack of awareness and improper waste management, averred Dr Ajita Mehta, president, Hospital Infection Society of India (HIS) at the conclave for Infection Leaders conference in the city recently. Experts discussed the current scenario of infections in Indian hospitals and building a consensus on guidelines for healthcare associated infections. Although nosocomial infections received the attention of Dr KN Rao, director general of health services (DGHS) as early as 1968 and the Society was founded more than a decade ago to tackle it, most hospitals are still grappling with the issue.

Speaking about the current state of infections in India, Dr Mehta opined, “Unlike corporate hospitals which take stringent control measures to curb chances of nosocomial infections (blood stream, surgical wound or respiratory infection), public hospitals yet need to realise and improve their infection control activities.”

Said Dr William Jarvis, ex-director, National Centre for infectious diseases, Centre for Disease and Control prevention, “Thirty eight per cent of infections are surgical site infections, which requires the patient to spend 7.3 extra days in the hospital. There are 60 per cent chances of their going to the ICU and the chances of deaths are twice as high. Out of these, 40 to 60 per cent surgical site infections are easily preventable. “

Experts urged for a need to have an organised surveillance system and an Infection Control Programme to report infection outbreaks. Corrective steps like proper prescription of antibiotics, hand hygiene, careful pre-operation removal of hair using Dipilatary cream or clipping instead of shaving and waste segregation and disposal at local site need to be immediately institutionalised in hospitals, experts suggested.

Rohini Kelkar, secretary, HIS, Bombay forum and head, dept of microbiology at Tata Memorial Hospital said, “In India one of the major challenges in nosocomial infections is the ‘liability issue’ i.e who should take the responsibility of the infection outbreak. Indian patients usually take the onus of any hospital acquired infection and insurance companies deny to pay for nosocomial infections. This problem needs to be addressed immediately.”