India today joined other nations in a campaign to fight spread of health care-associated infections which affect hundreds of millions of patients worldwide.
A statement pledging India's support was signed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the presence of World Health Organisation's representatives at a function here, organised by the Global Patient Safety Challenge, a core programme of WHO and its partners.The Global Patient Safety Challenge builds upon existing country initiatives to fight health care-associated infections. Reducing the spread of these infections would be a critical step towards enhanced and long safety in health care.
Speaking at the function, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi said the relevance of hand hygiene and infection control were being integrated in the medical curriculum and health care workers educated to practice it.
S J Habayeb, WHO representative in India, said signing the pledge reflected the commitment of India to address the issue of patient's safety in the country. The WHO would be closely working with the Indian government to provide technical support, he added.
Nearly 30 countries across the globe have already signed the pledge or are planning to do so this year.
Source:PTI News
