On August 18th, 2015, the decision was made to shut down KAMC-R as a needed measure to halt the MERS-CoV outbreak. On September 16th, 2015 I have summarized the interventions and actions taken to re-commission the hospital and addressed the wider systemic and organizational issues revealed by the outbreak. Included were: patient flow, emergency department over crowdedness and infractions in infection prevention and control practices.
To address infection control practices the Infection Prevention and Control Department has developed an extensive training program to train, assess and audit practices of Healthcare Workers. The Program has been endorsed by experts in the field of Infection Control from Johns Hopkins Healthcare System, the University College of London Hospitals. As well as senior infection control experts from our institution.
The first phase of the program will be to ensure competence in basic knowledge and practice. It will be delivered as a two-hour session led by the infection control team in collaboration with CRNs from our nursing department. It is also expected that no less than 95% of the HCW force will be certified by this program at any given time. Phase one will be launched on September 28th, 2015.
The second phase of the program will address sustainability of Healthcare worker certification and to ensure accountability in infection control practices. To ensure phase two we aspire to a major cultural change in the organization; which I am determined to embrace.
Dr. Abdelhakim Al Thaqafi, Section Head, Adult Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, KAMC-Jeddah, has been assigned to oversee the progress of this initiative, under the guidance of the Executive Director of Infection Prevention and Control Department, and in collaboration with the Directors of the Infection Prevention and Control programs in our regional hospitals.
Your commitment to the implementation of Infection Control practices to ensure patient safety in our hospitals is highly needed. Our patients depend on us to fully engage in this program to achieve our mission of Zero Infection Transmission at NGHA.
Thank you for your continued support.