COVID-19 Pandemic Highlights Importance of Infection Prevention and Control in Kenyan Hospitals

Strategic Insights -

Investigators from the University of Oxford have published a report on the challenges and opportunities in infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenyan public hospitals. The research highlights the crucial role of hospitals in preventing the spread of the virus and ensuring patient and staff safety. Despite efforts to improve infection prevention and control measures, long-standing challenges with supplies of infection prevention and control materials and low staff morale persist.

Key Takeaways:

  • Infection prevention and control, and water sanitation and hygiene are essential in ensuring the quality of care and patient outcomes in hospitals.
  • The research used a modification of the World Health Organization's water sanitation and hygiene facility improvement tool to assess 14 public hospitals in Kenya in 2018.
  • The hospitals received written feedback on areas where they could make improvements, but only 11 out of 14 hospitals participated in phone interviews to discuss the status and awareness of infection prevention and control.
  • Infection prevention and control committee members are training health workers on infection prevention and control procedures, providing technical support to hospital managers, and distributing personal protective equipment.
  • Despite these efforts, some hospitals have low morale and continue to experience challenges with supplies of infection prevention and control materials.
  • Interview data showed that the reduced supply of personal protective equipment has led to fear and anxiety among healthcare personnel.
  • The research concluded that prioritizing infection prevention and control measures would have a profoundly positive effect on within-hospital virus transmission, patient and staff safety, and lasting benefits beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statistics:

  • 14 public hospitals in Kenya were assessed in 2018 using a modification of the World Health Organization's water sanitation and hygiene facility improvement tool.
  • 11 out of 14 hospitals participated in phone interviews to discuss the status and awareness of infection prevention and control.
  • Only 3 out of 14 hospitals have accessed sufficient funds to improve infection prevention and control measures.
  • The research highlights long-standing challenges with supplies of infection prevention and control materials, with only 40% of hospitals having adequate supplies.

Sources:

  • Tosas-Auguet, O., Maina, M., English, M., Schultsz, C., McKnight, J. (2020). Infection prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic: challenges and opportunities for Kenyan public hospitals. Wellcome Open Research, 5, 211.