MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS for infection prevention and control programmes

Preventing harm to patients, health workers and visitors due to infection in health care facilities is fundamental to achieve quality care, patient safety, health security and the reduction of health care-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Similarly, preventing and reducing the transmission of infectious diseases that pose global threats, such as pandemic influenza, Ebola virus disease and other viral haemorrhagic fevers, is paramount. Clean, safe care is a patient right and should also be the duty and pride of all those working in the health care sector. Supported by many stakeholders in the field of IPC, WHO has issued recommendations and specifications for effective IPC programmes. These are included in the evidence-based WHO Guidelines on core components of IPC programmes (1) and the approach for their implementation is presented in associated manuals for both the national and facility levels (2, 3)…..more