Hospital Administrators have been urged to ensure strict maintenance of safety in the hospital environment due to the emergence of superbugs in hospitals across Ghana.
Superbugs are a strain of bacteria, resistant to majority of antibiotics currently used in hospitals. They cause pneumonia, urinary tract and skin infections.
The call follows a study led by a PhD fellow at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) philosophy, from the University of Ghana, Legon Isawumi Abiola which revealed that critical areas of hospitals such as the intensive care unit and recovery wards contained multi-drug resistant microbes.
During his presentation, Dr Abiola said the bacteria identified raise serious concerns about the delivery of quality care at hospitals.
The study was conducted by the West African Centre for Cell Biology and Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Legon.
About three hundred samples of trapped air were collected from about four of the ten hospitals sampled.
It was found that more than five hundred strains of superbugs also referred to as microbes were discovered. These were also identified to be highly resistant to anti-microbials which also puts patients at risk.
Abiola Isawuni who is a PhD fellow at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) said the diverse bacteria in Ghanaian hospitals calls for strict action to be taken.
He suggested ways to curb this emerging trend of superbugs or microbes. These include safety culture which comprises environmental hygiene, consistent surveillance of Antimicrobial resistance and appropriate use of antibiotics.
A Clinical Microbiologist, Dr. Japheth Opintan, said the findings show that the failure of most hospital managers to implement safety control measures to prevent infections is a contributory factor.
In a way to curb the Antimicrobial Resistance menace especially in health facilities, Dr Opintan suggested that the Infection Prevention Control (IPC), document be implemented.
He said hospital administrators must invest in IPC.
“For example, if the IPC document says that before you attend to the next patient wash your hands – and the only sink with running water in the ward is 50 meters away, how do a health official effectively perform this basic but necessary to break disease transmission routes” he said.
Participants called for consistent surveillance of Anti-microbial resistance at the hospitals as it would be zero work done if the hospitals which are meant to be a place of cure become a cause of diseases.
