Stresses need for infection prevention and control
Perturbed over secondary and opportunistic fungal infections getting amplified due to the present surge in Covid-19 cases and mucormycosis, popularly known as Black Fungus becoming a cause of concern, Union Health Ministry has advised all States/UTs to review their preparedness for infection prevention and control, as well as hygiene and sanitation in hospitals.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in his letter to Chief Secretaries and Administrators of all States and UTs urged them to undertake activities/practices to ensure that there are robust infection prevention and control practices in COVID hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
The health secretary said that the states should establish/activate the Hospital Infection Control Committee with the head of the institution or an administrator as the chairperson and designate an infection prevention and control nodal officer – preferably a microbiologist or senior infection control nurse.
The states have been advised to prepare and implement the Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Programme in the hospital/health facilities, as per the guidance given in National Guidelines for Infection and Control in Healthcare Facilities. The guidelines, involve the key components of infection prevention and control manual, guidelines on antimicrobial use and management, educational programmes and strategies, risk assessment and risk management, planning, monitoring, audit and feedback and implementation strategies.