“How Afghanistan is Tackling Infection Control: An In-Depth Evaluation of 15 Hospitals’ Practices and Strategies through WHO IPC Assessment Framework”
Mohammad Lakanwall1, , 1National IPC Officer, Kabul, Not Applicable, Afghanistan
Introduction
Infection prevention and control (IPC) practices have been recognized as the most effective strategy to reduce Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). IPC programs also play a vital role in maintaining patient safety and quality of care. The importance of effective implementation of IPC practices in healthcare facilities has been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Material and methods
A cross-sectional assessment was conducted between July 2021 and June 2022 at 15 governmental hospitals in Afghanistan including 11 tertiary hospitals from Kabul, 3 regional hospitals from Herat, Kandahar, and Nangarhar respectively, and 1 provincial hospital from Laghaman which is the only secondary healthcare facility in this assessment. Two infection prevention and control (IPC) experts from the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Kabul Afghanistan conducted hospital assessments. The World Health Organization (WHO) Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework (IPCAF) was used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of all healthcare facilities regarding IPC.
Results
We evaluated 15 hospitals in Afghanistan, of which 14 were tertiary care and 1 was a secondary care hospital. A few of the hospitals are managed by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) but the majority were run by government organizations. Of the 15 hospitals evaluated, most achieved a basic IPC level with only 2 hospitals achieving an intermediate level of IPC standards.
Conclusion
Significant efforts must be made considering the current dismal state of the IPC programs in Afghanistan and a successful relationship between hospital management and government authorities is essential for improvement of IPC program.
Biography
Dr. Mohammad Naeem Lakanwall is a clinical pathologist and national IPC officer in Kabul Afghanistan