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The Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Guidelines were launched by the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Jagutpal, this morning, during a ceremony held in Port-Louis.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Mauritius, Dr Laurent Musango; Directors of Health Services of Regional Hospitals and other personalities were present on the occasion.
In his address, Dr Jagutpal stressed the importance of infection prevention and control in hospital settings, and said that his Ministry considered it important to reinforce IPC in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We endeavoured to make the required resources available so as to strengthen our IPC measures,” he said. On that note, the Minister expressed gratitude to the WHO and all concerned stakeholders for their assistance and contribution in the elaboration of the guidelines.
Furthermore, the Health Minister called upon all stakeholders in the public health sector to make the best possible use of the IPC guidelines and encouraged health staff to continuously better their skills and improve their knowledge in their specific field of expertise.
The Minister also announced that the country’s national performance on IPC had, according to an assessment by the WHO, improved from 50 to 62% in October 2021. “Similarly, the performance in neonatal Intensive Care Units (ICUs) have improved from 69% to 85%,” he added. He emphasised that the fact that the National Action Plan on IPC for 2022-23 had already been drafted and would soon be approved was testimony of the Ministry’s commitment in ensuring the safety of patient and staff in hospitals.
Dr Kailesh Jagutpal also spoke about the International Epilepsy Day, observed every second Monday of February, and dwelt on the need for a change of attitude in regards to those who suffer from the condition. Besides, he recalled that epilepsy should no longer be considered as a fatality as medical research had come up with efficient medication to control the condition, and pointed out that such support was available in all hospitals.
As for Dr Laurent Musango, he stated that the IPC guidelines would be useful for the country as it provided a framework that would support the strengthening of health services, increase resilience and improve healthcare delivery. He observed that implementation of the guidelines was key, and recommended all concerned teams in Regional Hospitals to engage in systematic application of these.
In addition, Dr Laurent Musango pointed out that capacity building and training were crucial in this endeavour, and offered WHO’s support to this end. He reaffirmed WHO’s continuous commitment and support to Mauritius in regards to IPC.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of Mauritius.
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