As a part of moves to bolster infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in healthcare facilities, the director-general of Nigeria’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa has revealed the Federal Government’s transformative strategy.
The announcement took place on Tuesday in Abuja during the conference on Participatory Approach to Learning System (PALS), where Adetifa emphasised collaborative efforts, particularly with partners like the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
Adetifa underscored the success of the PALS in elevating IPC knowledge and practice throughout the country. The strategy aims to enhance the implementation of IPC measures in healthcare facilities, with a focus on sustainable and collaborative solutions.
The national team IPC lead at NCDC, Dr. Tochi Okwor emphasised the global impact of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and highlighted the innovative aspects of PALS in overcoming challenges related to IPC implementation. The collaboration between NCDC and RKI, which commenced in 2017, has evolved into the NiCaDe IPC project, showcasing significant progress in training practitioners and integrating PALS into healthcare systems.
The RKI’s Dr. Flora Haderer commended the dedication of Nigerian health practitioners and stakeholders, urging continued collective efforts for tangible results in infection prevention and control. She emphasised the pivotal role of collaboration and dedication in advancing IPC initiatives in the country.
Since 2017, the NCDC, in partnership with the RKI, recognised the importance of reducing healthcare associated infections (HAIs). This realisation, coupled with the understanding that adherence to IPC measures was suboptimal, led to a pilot study in Lagos hospitals.
PALS has been successfully implemented in 23 healthcare facilities, training 92 IPC practitioners as change agents and introducing 14 experts undergoing training as multiplicators for sustainability. The strides made through this initiative signal a positive step toward achieving robust infection prevention and control measures in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
