Basic hygiene lacking among many health professionals

Up to 61 per cent of health professionals working at Mater Dei Hospital do not fall in line with hand hygiene procedures, according to a recent study by the Health Department.

The situation is the main contributor to the increase of antibiotic resistant diseases such as the superbug MRSA, a common type of bacteria found on the skin and which may get into the body through breaks such as abrasions and surgical incisions and cause infection.

Findings of the study were revealed by Healthcare Director General John Cachia during an annual conference on infectious diseases on Wednesday. He said the problem was a serious one and there should be a zero tolerance approach by the professionals involved.

The situation was such that Malta, along with Portugal, had one of the highest rates of MRSA in Europe and the Mediterranean in its hospital. There had been improvements, Dr Cachia pointed out, in the Intensive Care Unit, for instance. “Our ITU had the highest rates of MRSA but, thanks to prompt intervention, it now has one of the lowest,” he said.

Tonio Piscopo, an expert in infectious diseases, pointed out that all it took was common sense and health professionals following simple hygiene procedures, such as washing their hands before visiting a patient.

Between five and 15 per cent of patients – one and three patients in a ward of 20 – fell sick while in hospital because of a healthcare-associated infection, he said quoting EU figures.

These rates are higher in the ITU – between nine and 37 per cent, Dr Piscopo added.

On an EU level, such infections amount to 25 million extra bed days and a cost of €13 - €24 million, he said.

“All these figures are related to hand hygiene, we have learnt a lot but not as much as we should have. I’m sure it is not deliberately done by health professionals but more because they are pressed for time,” Dr Piscopo said.

He referred to the results of an EU study which revealed that only 48 per cent of health professionals cleaned their stethoscope daily and seven per cent never did so.

Health Minister Joe Cassar echoed the speakers who preceded him saying that 30 per cent of hospital-related infections could easily be avoided.

“Between eight and 12 per cent of patients in the EU get infections from healthcare.” By simply using soap and water or an alcohol rub, over 80 per cent of these infections could be avoided, he said.

(Source: www.timesofmalta.com)