KARACHI, Dec 22: Participants at the end of the two-day '5th Annual Conference 2004' organized by the Infection Control Society of Pakistan on Wednesday recommended establishment of infection control committees at all hospitals in the country. It also stressed on the health education of community.

Prof Syed Azhar Ahmed, the vice-chancellor of the Baqai Medical University and the chief guest of the conference highlighted the significance of food and effective communication skills among healthcare providers.

Referring to the recently conducted 'Knowledge, Practice and Attitude Study', he dispelled the impression that media could be any better than direct contact between human beings.

He said that doctors were the worst communicators, because though having a lot of knowledge about infections, they failed to disseminate it to patients. "The health education of community is very much needed and awareness should be created among the masses about infections," he added.

Elaborating his stance, he said the very study based on firsthand interviews with community members established that a mere eight per cent of people comprehended the importance of EPI awareness through television, another 30 per cent through radio, and the remaining through advise of health personnel including lady health workers, paramedics, nurses and doctors.

Dr Khurshid Hashmi, the general secretary of the ICSP presented these recommendations with reference to presentations made by senior medical experts during the conference.

He said it had generally emerged that hospitals were bacteria resistant, making it extremely difficult to treat patients with antibiotics. Experts also called for a ban and absolute implementation on over-counter sale of antibiotics.

Other recommendations included a proper budgetary allocation for the proposed infection control committees; effective measures to prevent reuse of needles and syringes, and that the practice be declared as a "punishable crime".

Dr Khanani, the ICSP president also called upon the CBR to withdraw import duty on surgical gloves to promote its use among medical practitioners. "Hand washing is an important tool in controlling infections," he said.

With regard to provision for safe water, he explained that chlorine- containing tablets were safe and effective for making water fit for human consumption.

Giving statistics, Dr Khanani said that infectious diseases accounted for over 75 per cent of morbidity and mortality in Pakistan, and at least 50 per cent of such diseases were preventable.

Pakistan currently shoulders the fourth highest global burden of childhood deaths; approximately 100-150,000 of these deaths are due to diarrhoeal diseases. While it ranks sixth among the top Tuberculosis burden countries with about 250,000 cases and over 60,000 deaths annually.

He said the burden of hepatitis B and C was estimated at 12-15 per cent of the population. This translated to about 15-20 million infected or carriers in the country, or one out of every six individuals among normal population was infected.

Malaria, Typhoid, Tetanus, Cholera, Leishmaniasis, skin and wound infections, pneumonia, UTIs and post-operative infections also contributed significantly to the crippling of the healthcare system.

The ICSP president informed that the Society had conducted over 100 training workshops of doctors, nurses, health technicians, media and religious leaders to raise awareness about prevention of various infections.

The society, he said, was also establishing a resource centre for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and hospital acquired infections. Ms Qudsia Khatoon of the Aga Khan University emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach regarding the safe disposal of waste generated at hospitals.

Dr Badar Farooqui of the Ziauddin Hospital urged the need for declaring administration of anti-Hepatitis B vaccines for all healthcare workers, since they were the most vulnerable segments of society.

Later, Prof. Azhar distributed certificates and shields to Dr Sadequa Jaffery, Dr Sharaf Ali Shah, Dr Nizam Damani, Dr Gary French, Dr M Hassan A Memon, Dr Badar Jahan Farooqui, Dr Qamar uz Zaman, Dr Abdul Rauf, Dr S.J. Shah. The programme was attended by some 250 doctors, 60 nurses, 25 paramedics and other health professionals. -APP/PPI