Dubai, September 18th, 2006: To fight the spread of healthcare-associated infections, also known as nosocomial infections, which affect millions of patients each year, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Health, in association with the World Health Organization (WHO), is inaugurating the Global Patient Safety Challenge with the theme, "Clean Care is Safer Care", at Patient Safety 2006.

Healthcare-associated infections are a global problem affecting both developing and developed countries. "Clean Care is Safer Care," emphasizes the critical role of hand hygiene in controlling the spread of these infections.

As part of the inauguration event, H.E. Mr. Humaid Al Qutami, UAE Minister of Health will sign a statement committing to address healthcare-associated infection in the country, in the presence of Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer of the UK and Chair of the World Alliance for Patient Safety. This statement confirms the Ministry's commitment to the World Health Organisation's Global Patient Safety Challenge.  Other important participants include: HE Dr. Hamad Al Manes Saudi Minister of Health, H.E. Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeah, CEO Saudi National Guard Health Affairs, Dr. Ziad Memish, Director of the GCC Center for Infection Control and Professor Didier Pittet, Leader of the Global Patient Safety Challenge.

H.E. the Minister of health of the UAE said, "Healthcare-associated infections cause considerable suffering, and in many situations, can be avoided. We want to see action taken to reduce the impact on patients within the UAE public health sector. However, it is everyone's responsibility to improve hygiene standards throughout the health services, including hospital staff, patients and the general public."

By signing this statement, the Health Minister will commit to promoting the highest standards of practice to reduce the risks of healthcare-associated infection and to share results and learning internationally.

"The UAE is the third country in the Gulf Cooperation Council States to have a national inauguration event for the "Clean Care is Safer Care" WHO initiative, and also to sign the statement committing to address healthcare-associated infection. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are the other two. Oman, the fourth country in the GCC will sign the pledge in December this year," said Dr. Ziad Memish. To date, about 30 countries (and regions) have already signed the statement or are planning to do so in the latter part of 2006. The countries (and regions) that have already pledged are: Bahrain, Belarus, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Moldova, The Netherlands, The Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Tajikistan and the UK.

The Patient Safety Congress, taking place from 17th-19th September 2006 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dubai, UAE, will include an exhibition area, offering a unique opportunity for companies to meet and network with key decision makers. In parallel, the congress will feature three distinct events; the Infection Control Conference, Nursing Symposium and a Decontamination and Sterilization Symposium.

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Note to the Editors: 
Healthcare-associated infection is a major issue in patient safety as it affects millions of people worldwide and complicates the delivery of patient care. Infections contribute to patient deaths and disability, promote resistance to antibiotics and generate additional expenditure to those already incurred by the patients' underlying disease. At any given time, more than 1.4 million people worldwide become seriously ill from such infections. Between 5% and 10% of patients admitted to hospitals in developed countries acquire these infections, the report says. In some developing country settings, the proportion of patients affected can exceed 25%.[1]

The Global Patient Safety Challenge 2005-2006, a core programme of the World Alliance for Patient Safety, brings together the WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Healthcare with ongoing work on blood safety, injection and immunization safety, safer clinical practices, and safe water, sanitation and waste management.

The Global Patient Safety Challenge builds upon existing country efforts and initiatives to fight healthcare-associated infections. Reducing the spread of these infections will be a critical step towards enhanced and long term safety in health care.

To fight the spread of healthcare-associated infections, which affect hundreds of millions of patients worldwide each year, WHO and its partners launched the Global Patient Safety Challenge with the theme "Clean Care is Safer Care" on Thursday 13th October 2005. As part of the launch the WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care (Advanced Draft) were made available. The aim of the launch was to strengthen the commitment of interested Member States to the Global Patient Safety Challenge and the critical role of hand hygiene in controlling the spread of health care-associated infection.

The implementation of the Global Patient Safety Challenge comprises three major strategies:

  • global and national "Clean Care is Safer Care" campaigns,

  • country statements pledging to address health care-associated infection,

  • testing implementation in districts.

As part of the implementation strategies, WHO Member States have been invited to make a formal statement pledging their support to implement actions to reduce health care-associated infection within their country and to share results and learning internationally.

For more information, please contact:
Matt Pearman
ASDA'A - a public relations consultancy,
Tel: +9714-3344550,
Fax: +9714-3344556,
Email: info@asdaa.com

[1] WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge document, 2005

© Press Release 2006