KARACHI, April 20: An infection control committee will be constituted at the Dow University of Health Sciences to check incidence of hospital-induced infections at the Civil Hospital and other affiliated institutions.

DUHS Vice-Chancellor Prof Masood Hameed Khan, talking to APP said on Tuesday that an elaborate exercise would be undertaken by a team of concerned experts associated with the Dow Medical College and CHK, ultimately paving way for establishment of a full-fledged infection control department at the varsity.

"The very department would be first of its kind in any of the public sector hospitals in the province," he said. Mentioning that emphasis would be placed on public sector teaching hospitals, catering to the needs of a vast majority of citizens, the VC said the problem needed urgent attention of authorities.

According to him, the committee comprising concerned medical professionals from DMC would initially identify the types of organism, epidemiology of the same, i.e prevalence, causes and existent facilities, as well as relevant practices on part of doctors and other staffers to contain the infection rate.

Meanwhile, teachers and clinicians associated with DMC, expressing their satisfaction over the decision, suggested that the proposed committee should conduct an elaborate survey of operation theatres and wards at the CHK and come forward with a base-line survey and assessment regarding prevalence of infections.

"The role of the committee must, however, not be restricted to data collection and compilation, but it should come forward with problem solving approach," Dr Shaheen Shoaib of the Pathology Department, commented.

With regard to envisaged department, it was observed that a close coordination between researchers and clinicians would help the latter to have a before hand idea of possible season-based infections and to suggest adequate interventions, ultimately benefiting the people.

"Infections, if located at the very onset, would ease the process for the medical community to realize whether these require antibiotics or not," Dr Shaheen said, reminding that irrational use of antibiotics had emerged as a major problem. She also referred to significance of vaccines, recommending that people, particularly children, should be saved from avoidable afflictions. -APP