Abstract
Background: Nosocomial pathogens are transmitted by contamination of surfaces causing healthcare-associated infections (HAI). The impact of locally produced disinfectant with operational training as a means to improve hygiene in resource-limited healthcare facilities and prevent HAI was evaluated.
Method: In Burkina Faso, 4 types of electro-chlorinator devices that convert salt and water into sodium hypochlorite through electrolysis were installed in 26 healthcare facilities distributed across 3 sanitary districts. The program was evaluated at 4 months and 11 months and performance compared with a control group.
Results: After 11 months, over 90% of the facilities applied 8 of the 11 essential hygiene practices defined by the Ministry of Health, compared to 20% in the control group. 61.5% of the healthcare facilities improved the chlorine concentration of their sodium hypochlorite solutions, reaching an average concentration of 5.1 g/L compared to an average of 2.1 g/L in the control group. Additionally, a cost-benefit analysis demonstrated that locally produced sodium hypochlorite led to daily savings ranging between 2.7 and 53 euros depending on the device compared with the purchase of chlorine tablets.
Conclusion: Results, therefore, suggest that electro-chlorinator devices in addition to hygiene sensitization can be a simple, cost-effective and tailored intervention to reduce the prevalence of HAI in low-resource settings.
Authors
Pierre-Gilles Duvernay, Elisabeth de Laguiche, Renata Campos Nogueira, Bertrand Graz, Louis Nana, Wilfrid Oue´draogo, Yannick Sauter, Eric Sauvagea
Article permanent link : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idh.2020.04.003
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