Core components for effective infection prevention and control programmes: new WHO evidence-based recommendations.

Julie Storr¹, Anthony Twyman¹, Walter Zingg²

¹Infection Prevention and Control Global Unit, Service Delivery and Safety, HIS, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control

|January 13, 2017

Summary

Health care-associated infections (HAI) are a significant public health issue, but many are preventable. This study outlines World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for effective infection prevention and control (IPC) programs to reduce HAI and antimicrobial resistance.

Area of Science:

Public Health
Infectious Diseases
Health Policy

Background:

Health care-associated infections (HAI) pose a substantial global burden on morbidity, mortality, and healthcare economics.
A significant proportion of HAI are preventable with robust infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies.
Effective IPC is crucial for controlling antimicrobial resistance and preventing disease outbreaks within healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop global, evidence-based recommendations for effective IPC programs at national and healthcare facility levels.
To address the limited availability of standardized IPC guidance worldwide.
To inform the development of high-quality care within universal health coverage frameworks.

Main Methods:

Systematic literature reviews were conducted to identify and evaluate evidence.
Expert consensus was utilized to formulate recommendations.
Consideration was given to patient values, resource implications, feasibility, and acceptability.

Main Results:

The study resulted in 11 comprehensive recommendations for IPC programs.
Three good practice statements were developed to complement the recommendations.
The guideline provides a summary of supporting evidence for each component.

Conclusions:

The new World Health Organization (WHO) guideline offers a framework for strengthening IPC programs globally.
Implementation of these recommendations can lead to reduced HAI and improved patient safety.
These guidelines are essential for containing antimicrobial resistance and ensuring high-quality healthcare delivery.

Keywords:

Antimicrobial resistance Bed occupancy HAI Hand hygiene IPC education IPC guideline IPC practices IPC programmes Infection prevention and control Multimodal strategy Staffing Surveillance Universal health coverage Workforce Workload

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Purpose of the Study:

Main Methods:

Main Results:

Conclusions:

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