Infection control measures in neonatal units: implementation of change in the Gaza-Strip

Introduction: Low-income countries rarely report infection control measures although they are key to reducing mortality and morbidity in healthcare. This audit examined healthcare personnel's adherence to infection control measures before entry to the NICU and in both minor and major procedures' bundles. Furthermore, it examined the effect of subsequent authorization and dissemination of infection control guidelines followed by education and training sessions on the adherence of healthcare personnel to infection control policies.Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in two NICUs at two separate hospitals in the Gaza-Strip, Palestine. The initial observation period was June-August 2016 during which healthcare professionals' adherence to infection control policies was assessed by direct observation. This was followed by NICU feedback dissemination and on-site educational and training sessions. Then, the reaudit, following the same protocol, was carried out throughout February 2017.Results: There was a statistically significant improvement in the adherence to infection control measures among healthcare personnel. Significant improvements were found in both minor and major procedure infection control protocols' adherence rates. However, when comparing the general neonatal handling adherence rate between both audits, no significant change was noted.Discussion: This study highlights the effectiveness of using audit feedback and on-site educational and training sessions in the enhancement of adherence to infection control policies, demonstrating significant improvement in areas covered by the staff training program. Therefore, including regular infection control training combined with feedback in the curriculum of healthcare professionals can improve the sustainability of infection control programs. Further studies must examine the impact of such training also on the incidence of healthcare-associated infection rates as well as morbidity and mortality within neonatal units.