Source ForPressRelease.com

With every fourth patient in India susceptible to hospital-acquired infections (HAI), Sterile professionals and Doctors from various healthcare organizations across the country, congregated at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC), as the Indian Sterilization Healthcare Association (ISHA) celebrated its First Annual Day, with a packed National Scientific Conference, deliberating upon the need for designing an Indian guidelines for sterilization Services and making these obligatory for all hospitals, ways and means to prevent hospital acquired infections.



Gracing the occasion were Chief Guest Union Minister of State of Culture (I/C) Dr. Mahesh Sharma and the Guest of Honour Major General N S Lamba, MG (Med), Delhi Area (ARMY), Delhi, who along with other dignitaries including, Capt. Baban Rai (Retd.), President-ISHA, and Dr. HS Chhabra, Patron in Chief-ISHA, Medical Director, ISIC inaugurated the conference.



“The initiative to build this conference for discussing the prevention of hospital acquired infections by the embellished members of the ISHA is the way forward on an important aspect of delivering quality healthcare. Such associations and such initiatives are much needed as India has embarked on a journey to achieve holistic health with the launch of Jan Arogya Abhiyan and these initiatives will further prove to be a shot in the arm of the quality of care delivered in our healthcare facilities. I congratulate ISHA for giving shape to this initiative for patient Safety and for pursuing this ahead. Also congratulations are due to the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre for giving such an important topic a venue and platform for the discourses to take place.” , said Union Minister of State of Culture (I/C) Dr. Mahesh Sharma.



Seasoned sterile professionals from New Delhi -NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal, Kashmir, Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, TamilNadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bengal, Assam and the United States convened at the conference. The experts discussed topics such as planning and design of Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD), care of surgical instruments, decontamination life style, CSSD equipment and product testing, accreditation, documentation, and communication related to CSSD, and prevailing international standards and Indian compliance to it, among others.



“The assembly of renowned CSSD experts, Consultants, Nurses from the field of sterile Services has given shape to this important organization to discuss the challenges of Central Sterile Services in India’s healthcare facilities which are not at a good state. This stems from the fact that India lacks obligatory national guidelines, standards and regulations for functioning of Central Sterile Supply Department. Though most of corporate Hospitals and Private hospital follow US and European standards and Guidelines, which necessarily may not be best suited for Indian scenarios, but in the absence of national guidelines, large number of General hospitals, Governments hospitals and Nursing homes do not follow any guidelines and they follow standards made by themselves, which are far below acceptable standards. Substandard reprocessing in CSSD may results into hospital acquired infections that may lead to even loss of life in some cases. This needs to be addressed now to ensure patient safety.” says Capt. Baban Rai, President, Indian Sterilization Healthcare Association (ISHA).



“We are proud to be chosen as a partner to host this national level conference on a topic that concerns anyone coming to hospital for treatment. As a responsible specialty healthcare provider, we understand the need for having the highest standards of hygiene to make our facility safe and healthy for one and all. At the same time, we realize the need for Indian guidelines which incorporates the best International practices to the Indian scenario. There is a definite need of conclusive, evidence-based data on the epidemiology of hospital-acquired infections and the experts here today resolved to work towards it. We are glad to partner for this initiative,” says Dr H S Chhabra, Patron in Chief - ISHA, Chief of Spine Services and Medical Director, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi.



According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 1.4 million people across the world suffer from a nosocomial or hospital-acquired infection (HAI) that accounts for 2 million cases and nearly 80,000 deaths every year.



The most common types of HAIs are bloodstream infection, pneumonia, urinary tract infection and surgical site infections.According to the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC), the first step to combat HAI is to improve hygiene practices and implement standard operating procedures at each step. With such ventures both ISHA and ISIC along with participating organizations are working towards healthier and safer healthcare facilities in India.