Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) represent a significant challenge to patient safety and healthcare quality worldwide. In India, a country known for its vast and diverse healthcare landscape, the issue of HAIs takes on particular importance. According to a report by the National Institutes of Health, about 10-20% of admitted patients acquire HAIs in India, highlighting the urgency of addressing this issue. These figures are particularly alarming when compared to the global HAI burden of 7-12% reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). Even more concerning is that in India, incidence rates vary from 11-83% for different kinds of HAI, indicating a wide range of challenges across various healthcare settings and types of infections.
As the nation continues to develop its healthcare infrastructure and policies, the prevention and control of HAIs have become increasingly central to discussions about improving patient outcomes and healthcare quality.
THE LANDSCAPE OF HAI PREVENTION IN INDIA
India's healthcare system is as diverse as its population, with facilities ranging from world-class hospitals in urban centers to basic health outposts in rural areas. This diversity presents both challenges and opportunities in the fight against HAIs. Dr. Richa Thakker, Consultant-Microbiology & Infection Control Officer, HCG Cancer Center, Mumbai, highlighted the complexities of implementing effective HAI prevention measures across such a varied landscape.
"Diversity is one of the finest features of the country, India, and this is also observable in the country's healthcare industry. Most of the health facilities, specifically in the rural regions, are poorly equipped with the necessary basic infrastructure plus there is usually a lack of training and sensitization to the techniques of infection prevention and control IPC. This causes disparities in the practice of the IPC policies,” she noted.
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