Infection Prevention Key To Safe Healthcare, Say Experts At SUMUM Conclave In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Effective infection prevention and control hold key to quality and safe healthcare, said Dr Swetapadma Dash, CEO of SUMUM.

Speaking at a day-long conclave on ‘Infection Prevention and Control’ held at the SUM Ultimate Medicare (SUMUM) in Bhubaneswar on Saturday, she said, “I am confident that this conclave will help you get a broader and clearer outlook on providing quality healthcare with minimal risk of infection.”

Medical professionals including nurses, paramedics and laboratory technicians of hospitals from across Odisha attended the conclave which was organised by the in collaboration with Advanced Sterilization Products (ASP).

Referring to the outbreak of COVID in recent years, Brig (Dr) Biraj Mohan Mishra, Chief of Medical Services said it had threatened the quality of human life in every way possible. “Infection prevention and control at the healthcare facilities is the need of the hour which will help prevent outbreak of any disease in future,” he added.

Dr Prasant Kumar Panda, Medical Superintendent said there was a need to set a goal for zero infection to make healthcare effective, efficient and safe.

Dr. Banambar Ray, Head of Department of Critical Care said incorporation of quality indicators in ICUs had started in 1992 and it was found that around 63% of catheterised patients in the ICUs contracted urinary tract infection (UTI).

“With advancement of medical sciences, we have come a long way in infection prevention and control as less than one per cent of catheterized patient in ICUs are found with UTI. We have still a long way to go to bring the graph down to zero,” he said.

Dr Purabi Baral, Consultant, Microbiology; Barnali Banik, Senior Manager, ASP; Dr Suneeta Sahoo, Senior Consultant, Microbiology, Apollo Hospital, Bhubaneswar and Dr Bibhudutta Routray, Senior Consultant, AMRI Hospital, Bhubaneswar were present.