NICA, National Conference on Infection Control Communique

Posted on: Thu 15-12-2016

National Conference on infection control

By the Nigeria Infection Control Association (NICA) 2016 Annual Conference held at Barcelona Hotel Abuja Nigeria

Communique

The Nigerian Infection Control AssociatiOn, an Umbrella body for Infection Prevention Control Practitioners held its National Conference at Barcelona Hotels Abuja from the 16th -18th November 2016. In attendance were a variety of healthcare professionals including but not limited to Physicians. Clinical Microbiologists. Nurses. Pharmacists, Public Health Physicians. Medical Laboratory Scientists. Veterinarians and Environmentalists.

Theme: The theme of this year's Conference was "Breaking the chain of transmission: infection control and epidemics". The deliberations came up against the background of the occurrence of the recent Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic and the recurrent Lassa fever outbreaks.

The conference was declared open by the Honourable Minister of Health Prof I. F. Adewole, ably represented by the Director of Public Health Dr. Evelyn Ngige. The Minister highlighted the urgent need for the Institutionalization of Infection Prevention and Control in our healthcare facilities and the need to curtail antimicrobial resistance in the nation.

Several oral and poster papers were presented by participants showcasing their works in the different arms of infection prevention and control practice. There were also key note addresses and plenary sessions taken by eminent practitioners and administrators. Dr Chikwe lhekweazu, CEO Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) presented a paper on "National Response to Antimicrobial Resistance- Surveillance within Healthcare Facilities". There were also sessions which focused on infection prevention and control and the current global threat of antimicrobial resistance. After extensive deliberations the Conference came up with the following:

Observations:

The Conference noted

1. The conscientious efforts and steps the Federal Government of Nigeria is taking towards controlling life threatening infections within the country.

2. And appreciated the development of both a policy and strategy document on Infection Prevention and Control by the Federal Government and the need to operationalize this by producing National Guidelines 3. The high rates of antimicrobial resistance in Nigeria, undermining all the good efforts of governments at all levels to provide quality and safe healthcare for our citizens.

4. The absence of National guidelines for the control of antimicrobial use in our environment.

5. The absence of a National Antimicrobial Surveillance system in the country.

6. The dearth of well-trained Infection prevention and control practitioners across all tiers of healthcare systems.

7. The absence of a certification programme for Infection Prevention and Control practitioners in the country.

8. The determination of the Federal Government through its relevant agencies to establish and sustain a national Antimicrobial Surveillance system.

9. The high level of enthusiasm and determination expressed by conference participants to frontally confront all threats of infection challenging the country.

Recommendations:

1. Conference calls on government at all levels to make sufficient provisions in their annual budgets for infection prevention and control.

2. Conference solicits for the cooperation of all relevant stakeholders towards governments determination to establish a National Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network, which is long overdue.

3. COnference implores government to compel Heads of all government hospitals to make the establishment of Infection Prevention and Control programmes mandatory to enhance the prevention of transmission of infection as provided for in the National Health Act 2014.

4. There is a need for development of National Guidelines on infection prevention and control so as to operationalize the policy on it.

5. Certification programmes and career lines should be developed for Infection Prevention and Control practitioners.

6. There is the need for Nigeria to team up with the International community on Global Health Security as it relates to Infection Prevention and Control

7. Infection Prevention and Control should be included in undergraduate Curricula of Medical and allied Health Care Professionals

8. The establishment of a robust National response system for outbreak detection and control

9. Research into Infection prevention and control should be funded to ensure that local processes and procedure are developed to mitigate the impact of infections in the local environments.

Appreciation:

NICA appreciates the following for their support: The HoNourable

Minister of Health, The Nigerian Center for Disease COntrol, African

Field Epidemiology Network; Infection Control African Network; The

Management of the National Hospital Abuja

The next Conference will hold in Abuja in November 2017.

Professor FT Ogunsola ProfessorAT Olayinka

Chair MICA Chair NCIC LOC 2016

ABUJA: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED PORTHARCOURT: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED LAGOS: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED STOP paying for airtime and electricity, Let your phone pay its bills with ScreenT

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