WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1985

27

WATCH KEPT ON INFECTION CONTROL MEASURES

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MEASURES TO CONTROL AND PREVENT CROSS INFECTION ARE CONSTANTLY AND REGULARLY MONITORED BY SPECIAL INFECTION CONTROL COMMITTEES IN MAJOR HOSPITALS AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES IN ALL OTHER HOSPITALS, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR THE HON K.L. THONG, SAID TODAY.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, DR THONG SAID THE CONTROL AND PREVENTION OF CROSS INFECTION HAD ALWAYS BEEN AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF HOSPITAL PRACTICE AND ADMINISTRATION.

+THUS, MEASURES TO IDENTIFY, PREVENT AND CONTROL HOSPITAL ACQUIRED INFECTIONS ARE NORMALLY UNDERTAKEN BY ALL HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATIONS WITHIN THEIR HOSPITALS, HE SAID,

DR THONG SAID THAT THE HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THE NORMAL MEDICAL, NURSING AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES FOR INFECTION CONTROL PURPOSES. A

THESE COMMITTEES ALSO CONSIDERED AND IMPLEMENTED ANY MEASURES WHICH WERE CONSIDERED NECESSARY FOR IMPROVEMENT FROM TIME TO TIME, HE ADDED.

DR THONG TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS WERE MADE FOR THE CARE OF PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS, INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MILK KITCHENS, NEO-NATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNITS FOR PRE-MATURE BABIES AND INFANTS WHO NEEDED SPECIAL CARE AS WELL AS ISOLATION FACILITIES.

+THESE MEASURES ALL HELP TO CONTROL AND REDUCE THE CHANCES OF HOSPITAL INFECTION AMONG PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS, HE SAID.

DR THONG OUTLINED THE VARIOUS MEASURES UNDERTAKEN BY ALL HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATIONS TO CONTROL AND PREVENT HOSPITAL ACQUIRED INFECTION. THESE INCLUDED SURVEILLANCE, EDUCATION AND PROTECTION FOR STAFF AND POLICIES AND GUIDELINES FOR PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF CROSS INFECTION.

+SURVEILLANCE IS CARRIED OUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF REPORTING, COLLECTING AND COMPILING RELEVENT DATA ON HOSPITAL INFECTIONS.

+SUCH DATA PROVIDES USEFUL INFORMATION ON THE INCIDENCE, TREND AND PATTERN OF INFECTION AND ASSIST THE HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATIONS IN ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REGULAR PREVENTIVE MEASURES.

+ IT ALSO ENABLES THE ADMINISTRATION TO RECOGNISE EARLY ANY POTENTIAL SERIOUS OUTBREAKS THAT MAY OCCUR WITHIN THE HOSPITAL SO THAT THE NECESSARY PREVENTIVE MEASURES COULD BE TAKEN IN TIME,+ HE SAID.

/ON EDUCATION

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