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KAMAU: Prevention is the answer to battle against infectious diseases

We’d like everyone to remember, celebrate and implement the basics of infection prevention.

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by MARY KAMAU

Columnists16 October 2023 - 21:39
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In Summary


  • Personal hygiene – body and environmental cleanliness – helps ensure a person does not transfer germs into their body system or pose a risk to others.
  • Studies have shown that when vaccination rates go down, preventable infections go up.

As the world marks this year’s International Infection Prevention Week, October 15-21, the one-million-dollar question lingers on: what should humanity do to break the chain of infection to keep disease at bay?

Recent global changes in technology, climatic and demographics have increased the risk of infectious disease outbreaks. Population numbers have soared resulting in human migration globally and locally. Climate change too has contributed to the escalation of infection incidences posing considerable challenge to humanity.

According to the 2022 Situational Report on Disease Outbreak, Kenya continues to face outbreaks of infectious diseases such as cholera, yellow fever, chikungunya and measles in different counties.

Cholera outbreaks have been more widespread affecting seven counties namely Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado, Nakuru, Murang'a and northern arid areas. HIV, TB and malaria also continue to be major public health issues and leading causes of death in Kenya.

Almost every Kenyan that has sought healthcare services in the recent past has met with the diagnosis of an infection from the medical practitioners. Unlike previous years where a diagnosis of an infection was not worrisome, this has drastically changed. The novel Covid-19 infection did set the stage for an increased awareness of infections and their consequences.

The theme for this year’s International Infection Prevention Week is 'Celebrate the Fundamentals of Infection Prevention' highlighting the significance of returning to the basics of infection prevention. This simply means that infection is everyone’s business.

The activities lined up nationally this week present to us great prospects to change the infection landscape in the country going forward both in hospitals and at the community level. We’d like everyone to remember, celebrate and implement the basics of infection prevention.

The week comprises the Global Handwashing Day, which champions clean hands through handwashing with soap and water at critical times. Our hands carry on average 3,200 different germs belonging to more than 150 species – of which some can be harmful.

Experts concur that improved handwashing reduces the transmission of these germs. The germs found on hands cause infectious diseases ranging from stomach, lung and skin infections. These infections affect all age groups ranging from the newly born child to the elderly. Handwashing therefore marks a crucial basic practice in prevention of these ailments.

Apart from germs being found on our hands, they can also be found in our environment, ie water, soil and surfaces. Challenges associated with water and sanitation such as crowded housing, lack of adequate toilets or latrines and shortages in water supply have been cited as main contributors to spreading germs.

Personal hygiene, which includes body and environmental cleanliness, goes a long way in ensuring a person does not transfer germs into their body system or pose a risk to others.

Germs are also found in the air when a person with an infection in the lungs coughs into the air. The droplets of saliva contain germs and this can be transferred into surfaces, hands and eventually into the mouth and nose if hand hygiene is not done. Since one cannot choose when to cough as this is a body reflex reaction, the droplets can be contained by covering the mouth and nose using a cloth or forearm to contain the germs from spreading into the air.

Studies have shown that when vaccination rates go down, preventable infections go up. A vaccine (or immunisation) builds your body’s natural immunity to a disease before you get sick. This keeps you from getting and spreading the disease.

The immunisation programme under the Ministry of Health has played a crucial role in the prevention of childhood diseases such as measles, polio and tuberculosis, to mention but a few. This has contributed to a reduction in the death rate for the under-five years population to 32.7 per 100,000 live births in 2022.

The good news is that other vaccines are now available for the general public and everyone is encouraged to obtain medical advice on vaccinations that are beneficial to them and for their loved ones.

But why is the world concerned with preventing infection? Infections have escalated into affecting larger populations such as the Covid-19 global pandemic causing increased illness and death. The consequences can also be on the individual where the infection can spread to the rest of the body and cause further complications and even death.

Therefore, as we celebrate the milestones gained in infection prevention, this is a moment for us to reflect on our individual and corporate responsibilities in the current local and global situation. Understanding that infections can be, should be and must be prevented, is our motto! As the old saying goes 'prevention is better than cure'.

Director of Nursing Services at The Nairobi Hospital. [email protected]

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