In response to twelve deaths in premature neonates, due to a possible bacterial infection, occurring in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), the National Health Authorities of Belize and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) agreed on having a technical visit of a team of experts on infection prevention and control (consisting of an epidemiologist on infections control, a prevention consultant, a microbiologist and an advisor on health services). The purpose of the visit of the PAHO team was to jointly with the Ministry of Health (MoH) staff, investigate and control the outbreak of a possible multi-drug resistant bacterial infection (ENTEROBACTER CLOACAE) occurred April 18th and May 20th, 2013 in the NICU. The mission also aimed to help assessing the Infection Prevention and Control Program (IPC), including the necessary microbiology support, as well as to strengthen the capacity of the KHMH. Meeting with the national and hospital authorities, local infection control team, and site visit observation where the sources of information on the outbreak and the current situation of the infection control program in the hospital in its different stages. MoH and PAHO experts’ findings were the stand point from where recommendations came up to enforce aspects that needed to be modified or improved regarding structural considerations and the existence and compliance of processes, in order to help preventing and controlling infections within the hospital. As a result of implementing these joint recommendation, no more deaths have been registered among this population. Overall, the hospital has adopted various infection control preventative measures and guidelines, including the training of all personnel. Conversely, it is needed to enforce the application of the universal preventive measures for hospital infections control and to strengthen the existing infrastructure in order to have a conducive environment for compliance.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 22:13:59 +0000
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