Under the theme “Infection Prevention is Everyone’s Responsibility” Almoosacelebrates the International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW)

Which is held globally every year in the third week of October and aims to promote infection prevention practices, raise community awareness and prevention of infections.

Under the theme “Infection Prevention is Everyone’s Responsibility”, the Infection Prevention and Control Department at Almoosa Specialist Hospital launched various activities on Thursday October 19, 2017, to raise awareness about infection control practices that ensure patient safety. The activities includedrounds to hospital wards to promote for hand hygiene, proper isolation measures andcorrect use of personal protective equipment as well as explaining how to break the chain of infections in the hospital.

Besides, an awareness booth was organizedto provide education to patients, visitors and health workers. Awareness brochures and gift items were distributed to attendees. This year’s Infection Prevention Week at Almoosa Hospital addressed the risk of Antibiotic Resistance and prevention of Multidrug Resistant Organisms in addition to community awareness about antibiotic use to avoid further cases of resistance.

Mr. Bassel Molaeb – Infection Control Director – pointed out that antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest growing threatsaffecting the global health nowadays, and preventing the spread of germs is a shared responsibility between health workers in all health facilities and community members.

Mr. Molaeb mentioned that Almoosa Specialist Hospital in the middle of this challenge, has taken the lead in fighting antibiotic resistance and implemented the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program and is applying rigorous infection prevention measures that positively impacted patient safety. He added that antibiotics are a valuable resource that should be handled carefully and used only when necessary and as prescribed.