Hand Hygiene by Ward Staff at Dapaong Regional Hospital in Togo

Introduction: Hand hygiene (HH) is an effective way to fight infections in healthcare settings. The general purpose of our study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care providers on HH at Dapaong regional hospital (DRH). Methodology: This was a prospective, descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from March to June 2022 in the DRH wards. Data were collected using a questionnaire and observation grid. Results: 90 care providers were surveyed. Males and non-physician personnel predominated with 57.8%, and 94.4% respectively. The survey on staff’s knowledge reported: 31.1% of practitioners did not wash their hands on arrival and departure in services. 24% did not know the difference between simple hand washing (SHW) and hygienic hand washing (HHW). 23.3% did not know the type of soap to use for HHW. The caregivers did not know the type of hand washing (HW) required after a septic and non-septic procedure in respectively 41.6%, and 37.8%. They did not know that there are two types of hand antiseptics (45.4%), nor the amount of antiseptic for HW (78.9%). The survey on staff’s attitude regarding HW found that: 70% did not remove all jewels prior HW, and 51.1% did not know that wearing gloves cannot replace the HW. For HW Staff Practice: 62.2% did not wash their hands before treatment. 91.1% did not spread the soap on their hands and forearms after wetting them. 65.55% did not rinse hands from nails to elbows. Conclusion: The HH was poorly known, the attitude of the staff was dangerous in relation to the HH and the practice of HH was very inadequate at the RHC-Dapaong. As a result, there is a need to retrain staff to increase their capacity to prevent care-related infections and enhance patient safety in the hospital.

Maybe he should have washed his hands more!

A man is sitting at home one evening when the doorbell rings.When he answers the door,a 6foot tall cockroach is standing there.The cockroach immediately preaches him between the eyes andscampers off.The next evening,the man is sitting at home when the doorbell rings.When he answersthe door,the cockroach is there again.This time,it punches him,kicks him and karate chops himbefore running away.The third evening,the man is sitting at home when the doorbell rings.When

Hospital Acquired Infections in Low and Middle Income Countries: Root Cause Analysis and the Development of Infection Control Practices in Bangladesh

Nosocomial or hospital acquired infections are a major challenge for low and middle income countries (LMICs) which have limited healthcare resources. Risk factors include the lack of appropriate hospital facilities such as isolation units, bed space, and sinks;inadequate waste management, contaminated equipment, inappropriate use of antibiotics and transmission of infection from the hands of healthcare workers and family caretakers due to inadequate hand washing. Nosocomial infections increase the costs of healthcare due to added antimicrobial treatment and prolonged hospitalization. Since the prevalence of nosocomial infections is generally higher in developing countries with limited resources, the socio-economic burden is even more severe in these countries. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the risks of hospital acquired infections and summarizes current recommendations for the development of hospital infrastructure and the institution of protocols to reduce these infections in LMICs such as Bangladesh.

Knowledge and preventive measures practiced by junior high school students from Mexico City regarding influenza A (H1N1)

Background: Influenza A (H1N1) is the most recent pandemic disease that has affected the human population. Objective: To evaluate knowledge and preventive measures related with this disease one year after the epidemic of Mexico- that took place in 2009. Material and methods: An epidemiologic survey regarding influenza A (H1N1) was conducted in June 2010 among 2541 students from the second grade of all public high schools in a borough in Mexico City. The questionnaire included items on the knowledge of the disease and practice of preventive measures. Results: Most students obtained the information from television, half of them from parents and only one fifth from teachers;72% of the participants had a favorable knowledge about the disease and the measures to avoid being infected. However, only 37% practiced such preventive measures. Conclusion: Knowledge has a positive influence on practices towards health. Parents and teachers have an important role in health education, thus efforts should be directed to involve them more intensely in health education.

Improper Disposal of Waste Water and Masks during COVID-19, and the Associated Increased Cycle of Infection to Human Health in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Tanzania

Since COVID-19 was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO), wearing of protective equipment, hand washing using soap and frequent use of antiseptic solution are being applied globally to reduce the transmission rate. This study was intended to investigate handling of after wash waste water and masks among Tanzanian residents on the COVID-19 pandemic after it has been, declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) that, wearing of protective equipment, hand washing using soap and frequent use of antiseptic solution should be applied globally to reduce the transmission rate. The assessment of health care waste management in the facilities was conducted in all the 26 regions of Tanzania Mainland. A standardized checklist and tools were used to assess and monitor various aspects related to healthcare waste using open source software for collection (ODK). Data were analyzed using SPSS computer software. It has been indicated that before disposing the used mask, the best protocol is to spray 0.5% (5000 ppm) of chlorine disinfectant on the surface. In this study, about 46% consider used mask as normal municipal waste and 3% do not care they throw away the face masks in the street. Only 18% and 5% of reported to disposal as infectious and highly hazardous waste respectively. It is well documented that due to potential infectious disease like SARS-CoV-2, wastewater should be treated either on-site or conveyed off-site and treated in well-designed method or technology to kill the micro-organisms. The analysis revealed that majority of respondents (74.7%, 73.8%, 48.1% and 65% for healthcare center, district hospitals, regional hospitals and consultant hospitals respectively);dispose the waste in the open space. Continuous awareness creation programs about the negative impact of contaminated face masks and waste water on the health of individuals and introducing laws that can prohibit improper disposal are among the solutions that could help reduce the problem.