(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 06 - Every 100 patients hospitalized, 7 in high-income countries and 15 in low- and medium-income countries contract a hospital infection.
In the case of patients in intensive care, it reaches 30%.
Among the sick are infected in hospital, 1 in 10 dies.
These are some of the data contained in the "Global report on infection prevention and control" report published by the World Health Organization.
The report takes stock of the implementation of infection prevention and control programs in the healthcare setting, those practices aimed at preventing patients, healthcare workers and visitors to healthcare facilities from acquiring potentially avoidable infections.
Coded practices ranging from hand washing to the correct use of antibiotics to hygiene management in healthcare environments.
According to the report, programs of this type are active in only half of the countries of the world and, where they exist, only 3.8% meet the minimum efficiency criteria required, with a huge difference between high-income countries and those with low and middle income. .
"The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted many challenges on the topic of infection prevention and control in all regions and countries,
even those with more advanced programs, "said WHO Director-General Adhanom Ghebreyesus." It also provided an unprecedented opportunity to take stock of the situation and rapidly increase preparedness and response to epidemics.
Our challenge now is to ensure that all countries are able to allocate the necessary human resources, supplies and infrastructure ". (ANSA).