Earlier this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF issued a dire warning about the state of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in health facilities. Almost two billion people worldwide rely on healthcare delivery in settings where those services are substandard – or lacking altogether. The global progress report on WASH services in […]
Hospital acquired infection
Nanoparticles to help tackle hospital-acquired infections
New research has suggested the use of nanoparticles to prevent hospital-acquired infections resulting from medical equipment. Research published in the American Chemical Society Applied Interfaces and Material indicates that nanoparticles can be utilised to detect the presence of life-threatening microbes on medical devices and then be used to remove them, thereby reducing the risk of […]
Proper handwashing matters for your health
Proper handwashing may seem trivial to some, but it is more important than many realise – in schools, in healthcare facilities, and in the home. Global Handwashing Day, observed on October 15th, is an important reminder of an often neglected practice. UNICEF India points out the importance of handwashing, noting its connection with diarrhoea – […]
Sepsis in India: A major threat to public health
September 13th marks World Sepsis Day – a day of particular importance for the public health community to be reminded of the significant burden of sepsis in India. Sepsis is “a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated immune response to infection”, caused by no single bacteria or virus: “rather, any type of pathogenic infection […]
Surgeon’s gowns and the spread of C. diff
The reality of hospital-acquired infections is one that is difficult to ignore. New research has spotlighted one particular infection to which hospital visits can expose people. This time, alarm bells are being sounded about Clostridium difficile (also known as C. diff), a bacterium linked to stomach ailments such as diarrhoeal disease and colitis which can […]
Why your doctor’s lab coat could be bad for your health
When we think about doctors, the white lab coat is often one of the first things that come to mind. In fact, many of us do not feel comfortable seeing doctors who dress without them. Yet this symbol of the medical profession may be a breeding ground for deadly bacteria. New research suggests that the […]
Hospital acquired tuberculosis, employees unsafe?
A total of 66 employees at the Tuberculosis Hospital in Sewri here contracted the disease in the past five years, authorities said in reply to an RTI query. Such a discovery may be indicative of a lack of safety and sanitation protocols at the hospital that is putting the lives of both staff and patients […]
The death toll of sepsis in India
A recent study has revealed that 34 percent of sepsis patients in India die in the intensive care unit (ICU). The new data builds on the foundation of previous studies published in 2017 that covered the five-year experience of the sepsis mortality rates for ICU, in-hospital, and post 28 days to be 56 percent, 63 […]
Kerala takes stand against hospital acquired infections
Kerala has learnt its lessons after the Nipah tragedy. It is to introduce a policy to control and prevent hospital acquired infections. The move comes after the Nipah virus outbreak in the state earlier this year, in which all but four of those who succumbed to the virus contracted it in hospital. “We are working […]
Hospitals breeding mosquito-borne disease
Hospitals are home to some of the most vulnerable in society: the sick and the elderly. What if these hospitals are putting these vulnerable people at risk of potentially more deadly conditions than they arrived with? This is currently the case in many hospitals in Lucknow, where the hospitals themselves have become breeding grounds for […]