Hospitals Implement Infection Control Measures

World Health Organization (WHO) published a global update showing meaningful progress in infection‑prevention and control (IPC) programmes worldwide. The report reinforces that IPC — including hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, safe waste management, and appropriate use of protective equipment — is central to preventing health‑care associated infections (HAIs), protecting both patients and health workers.
In Kenya, hospitals have put these principles into action. For example, a continuous quality improvement (CQI) programme in two regional hospitals — Thika Hospital and Kitale Hospital — significantly boosted compliance with hand hygiene standards between 2018 and 2019. Meanwhile, in Nakuru County, county‑level authorities report that training of health workers and improved waste‑management infrastructure (including waste disposal machines at the main hospital) have reduced healthcare‑associated infection risks.
The broader message from the recent WHO report and local efforts is that consistent, evidence‑based IPC measures — like proper hand hygiene, disposal of waste, use of protective gear, and environmental cleaning — are effective in reducing infection risks in clinical settings. For Kenya and similar settings, strengthening IPC systems remains critical — especially given the ongoing threat of antimicrobial resistance and hospital‑acquired infections.