Infection Control in Limited Resources Countries: Challenges and Priorities

The purpose of this article is to review the current status of health care-related infections (HCRI) in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

HCRI in LMIC are being recognized as an important health problem globally. Despite important efforts, complex medical and non-medical problems prevail. The HCRI burden in LMIC is bigger than in developed countries, with prevalence between 5.7 and 19.1%. The impact on patients, their families, and the hospital systems is high, but has been largely underestimated. During the last 30 years, some progress has been made, with an increased awareness from the medical community and some very successful programs; however, there is a huge gap for improvement and success. In many health care facilities, there is a need of functional surveillance programs, continuous supply of antiseptics, safe water supply, personal protective equipment, essential antibiotics to treat infections, appropriate number of health care personnel trained in infection control, and appropriate health care infrastructure and political commitment.