Infection Prevention & Control (IPC)
India with a population of 1.3 billion is home to various infectious diseases with its vast and divergent geographical and ecological diversity. Over the years, there has been an increase in Healthcare Acquired Infections (HAI) among patients in India. Studies conducted on HAI in India, identified that HAIs results in prolonged hospital stay, long-term disability, increased resistance of microorganisms to antimicrobials, additional cost on health systems, high cost for patients and their family and preventable deaths. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened existing concerns in the states and facilities that Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and laboratory capacity is suboptimal. The lack of sufficiently trained staff with the ability to protect themselves and patients leads to preventable morbidity and mortality. Without adequate laboratory capacity the ability to detect healthcare associated infections is not available to healthcare workers or patients.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India (GoI) has introduced the National Patient Safety Implementation Framework (2018-2025) (NPSIF) and adopted the UN General Assembly declaration, to respond to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In alignment with the NPSIF, National Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) in health care facilities was introduced in January 2020 to enhance the capacity of healthcare workers to prevent and control infections in hospitals. The National Guidelines on Clinical Management of COVID-19, March 2020, also puts greater emphasis on IPC in the care for COVID-19 patients. The Guidance on developing State Action Plans for Containment of antimicrobial Resistance (SAPCAR), MoHFW, July 2018 also points to the key strategic priorities (2 & 3) of IPC, Laboratory and surveillance. Along with that the National Health System Resource centre (NHSRC) provided information on the measures taken by Government of India (GoI) for ensuring Patient Safety especially in Public Hospitals and National Health Programmes and launched the National Quality Assurance Programme for Public Health Facilities to ensure quality services and infection prevention control as one of the key parameters for quality assurance.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaborated with SHARE INDIA to support facility, state and national priorities and move towards SAPCAR, considering the pro-active healthcare system in the state of Andhra Pradesh (AP) to strengthen IPC since 2020.
Andhra Pradesh
The overall aim of project BOLSTER is to support an accelerated and evidence-based response to the multi-dimensional challenges and seamless achievement of GHSA goals, by supporting building core public health capacities in IPC AMR, HAI, Surveillance and outbreak response.
Specific objectives under IPC
1. Advocacy and Communication
The project is focused on conducting the following activities to strengthen Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) at designated healthcare facilities:
Baseline assessments for IPC in the project implementing sites
Facilitated training for Capacity building in IPC
Intervention sites in Andhra Pradesh
2. Accomplishments