Prevention better than cure: Madzorera

has revealed.
Speaking at the launch of the Zimbabwe Infection Prevention and Control Project recently, Minister of Health and Child Welfare Dr Henry Madzorera said ensuring the spread of diseases was prevented in the first place or controlled when they occur was the best option.
“The present state of our facilities and high motivational levels do not always promote a high standard of care that ensures the rate of hospital-acquired infections do not add to the high cost of care arising from the unwarranted and extended hospital stay.
“The cost of the stay has an effect on other family members as they support the patient through hospital visits drawing in many cases on the meagre resources, both material and emotional.
“Ensuring that the spread of the diseases is prevented in the first place or controlled when they occur is the best option for us as we are still experiencing underfunding in the health sector,” Dr Madzorera said.
He said hospital waste disposal systems were no longer able to manage the waste despite the level of technology development.
“The ageing nursing population and the out-migration of middle level and experienced nurses in the clinical areas and high exposure units have led to a situation that team members are left without mentors and supervised as they execute their duties.
“The sister-in-charge of yesteryear kept us all in line; we have to religiously wash our hands properly between patients regardless of the number of patients to be seen.
“We need to build back this lost capacity,” he said.
Our core value, the minister said, was to strive to provide services that do not harm the patient or client.
“We believe that any patient should not acquire any infections while in the care of professionals.
“Nosocomial infections pose serious problems in hospitals leading to extended stay, increased costs of care that strain the coffers and puts a high burden on the family and the individuals,” Dr Madzorera said.
The project is a partnership between the Biomedical Research and Training Institute, Management Science for Health and the Infection Control Association of Zimbabwe supported by PERFAR programme as well as the Ministry of Health.
The project director, Professor Exnevia Gomo, said the five-year project aims at supporting the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare to strengthen infection control and prevention in health care facilities in Zimbabwe.
“This combined experience and expertise will be harnessed to support the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare strengthen IPC practice at all levels of the health service and the community,” Prof Gomo said.
The objectives of the project also include:
l “Development and dissemination of a national strategic plan and monitoring and evaluation system for infection prevention and control.
l “Provision of pre-and in-service training on infection control to health workers including those operating in communities.
l “Development of infection control plans for at least 100 facilities.
l “Renovation of at least 10 health facilities to improve infection control.
l “Supporting the provision of post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to 100 percent of health care workers exposed to HIV in the 100 facilities that are supported in the development of IC plans.
l “Provision of personal protective clothing to the 100 facilities supported in development of IPC plans.”
Prof Gomo noted that sustainability of the IPC programme would require the effective leadership and ownership by Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and the committed participation of other key stakeholders and implementing partners in IPC.
The ZIPCOP funding award is a co-operative agreement and Zimbabwe will benefit from the technical and programming support of CDC through its Zimbabwe office.
Other key players in implementing the project will include NatPharm for PEP and PPE procurement and distribution Ministry of Public Works for renovations academic institutions and other health professional training institutions for pre-service IPC training provincial and district health management teams, city health departments, non-governmental organisations among others.