Ebola disease and Marburg disease outbreaks continue to occur in Africa, with increased frequency. In addition to resulting in high mortality and morbidity, the outbreaks generate fear and mistrust about the response activities within the communities affected. Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a key pillar in the outbreak response; adherence to IPC practices can prevent and control transmission of infections to health and care workers, patients and their family members. During the 2014-2016 West African Ebola disease outbreak, there was an urgent need for rapid IPC guidance to help support ministries of health, health-care providers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In response, WHO produced several documents related to the outbreak based on expert opinion, including IPC-specific documents and documents on clinical management that also referenced key IPC principles and practices. Since that time, many practices in the field have become institutionalized

This briefing note is based on the existing WHO and ILO guides and recommendations for Ebola Virus Disease at the time of the publication. It will be updated as new information and recommendations become available

Ces formulaires sont destinés uniquement aux cliniciens et infirmiers s’occupant de patients atteints de la maladie à virus Ebola. Ils fournissent des informations standardisées qui doivent être collectées par les cliniciens au moment de l’admission, tous les jours, et lors de la sortie du patient

Nosocomial or health-facility-acquired infections are a serious issue, representing one of the most significant causes of morbidity and mortality in healthcare systems and consuming many scarce resources, especially in developing countries. Although much has been done, particularly in the hospital setting, to reduce the risk of these infections, the problem persists and demands innovative and cost-efficient solutions. Although the care provided in most primary health care facilities is predominantly ambulatory with few or no inpatient beds, infection prevention is still important to minimize or eliminate the risks of facility-acquired infections and assure quality patient care. Health facilities and hospitals should have written infection control procedures and guidelines in place and should also be monitoring that these procedures are adhered to in both inpatient and ambulatory care settings

Decontamination of medical devices plays an important role in the prevention of health care-associated infections. It includes cleaning, disinfection and/or sterilization. The processes involved in decontamination are complex, require specific infrastructure and equipment, and involve several sequential steps that need to be performed correctly – from device collection and receipt by the decontamination unit to processing, storage and distribution throughout the facility. Quality control procedures (such as validation) at each step of the decontamination process are of the utmost importance to ensure the correct functioning of the equipment and processes. This aide-memoire presents a concise overview of important advice and key elements at a glance

30.03.2015

La concentration en éthanol est mesurée par une méthode densitométrique à l’aide d’un alcoomètre Gay LUSSAC à l’échelle v/v.

15.08.2015

The Sierra Leone National Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines were jointly developed and updated by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Case study