January 28, 2006	Saturday	Zilhaj 27, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 27: Almost 80 per cent of the infections acquired during treatments at hospitals can be prevented through due realization and care on the part of nurses and paramedics.

These views were expressed by the speakers of a workshop on Infection Control and Nurses, a pre-symposium session of the Second Annual Symposium of National Institute of Child Health (NICH) here on Tuesday.

The speakers specifically referred to needle injury enhancing blood borne infection risk among nurses themselves.

Nursing Superintendent-NICH Nursing School, Afshan Nazli, Nursing Instructor- JPMC College of Nursing, Shabana Nazir, Seema Panjwani (AKU School of Nursing), Mrs Seemien and Ms Nida explicitly discussed strategies to prevent infections acquired in hospital settings.

Referring to US-based data, the speakers said that 20 per cent of the instances of Hepatitis B and C were attributed to infections acquired in hospital settings.

Nurses were stressed to protect themselves as well as their patients from infections linked to needle prick as well as ignorance towards hand washing and necessary application of fresh disposable gloves.

Stressing the importance of proper hand washing on part of nurses, the senior professionals said this could protect patients against contracting infections from other patients.

They on the occasion also referred to risk among patients to get inflicted by acute respiratory infections from one another.

Importance of sterilized instruments and other relevant items in operation theatres were also highlighted to help prevent vulnerability of patients against blood borne infections including HIV/ Aids, Hepatitis B and C etc.

Besides, the workshop-cum-seminar for nurses, four other scientific workshops were also held on Friday. This included “Neonatal Resuscitation” facilitated by Dr Aslam Hyder Qureishi and Dr Khalid Zubeiri.

It was mentioned that one million babies died of birth asphyxia which could easily be prevented through proper resuscitation. The facilitators demonstrated the skill of neonatal resuscitation.

NICH Director Prof Afroze Ramzan Ali addressing the participants of Peritoneal Dialysis Workshop held the same day said that peritoneal dialysis remained to be the main stay in the management of acute renal failure in all age groups. She also discussed different aspects of peritoneal dialysis.

Dr Khemchand, Dr Ali Asghar and Dr Rizwan demonstrated the equipment and procedure of peritoneal dialysis.

Prof Shireen Bhutta, Prof Tariq Mehmood, Prof Afroze Ramzan Ali, Prof Rehman Baig, Dr Ahmed Irfan and Dr Annette Jacobsen from Singapore, Dr Amin Al Gohrey from Abu Dhabi discussed the significance of antenatal diagnosis, modalities and management.

With specific reference to neural tube defects, they underscored the need for early diagnosis; folic acid fortification of flour and supplements to mother; timely treatment in tertiary care hospitals.—APP