Ilorin General Hospital Unveils Infection Prevention and Control Policy

The General Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State North Central, Nigeria has unveiled an infection, prevention and Control (IPC), policy document to serve as a guideline towards ensuring the safety of health workers and patients.

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Unveiling the document at the seminar room of the hospital, the Executive Secretary Hospital Management Board, Dr AbdulRaheem Malik, said the importance of the policy guidelines could not be over-emphasized, considering the close contact between health workers and patients in the hospital.

Dr Malik, who is the Chairman of the event, explained that the infection control policy would be strictly adhered to minimize the spread of infection within the hospital.

The Executive Secretary said, “Health care providers need to follow the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) to reduce the spread of infection between the health workers and patients.”

He commended the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Ahmed Bola Abdulkadir for the laudable initiative, stressing the need for periodic review of the policy by the management.

The Chief Medical Director, Dr Ahmed Bola Abdulkadir, on his part, said the committee is saddled with the responsibility of looking at the national policy on infection control with a view to drawing up a policy implementation and domestication for the state.

“There is no doubt that our day-to-day activities in the hospital, might have been reflecting some of these preventive policies, but the committee is to officially put relevant stakeholders on their toes to ensure the effective implementation of the policy,” he said.

He thanked members of the committee for the wonderful achievement and appreciated the Executive Secretary, Hospital Management Board, Dr Abdulraheem Malik for the initiative and relentless push towards ensuring qualitative healthcare delivery for the people of the State.

The Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Dr Ismail Obalowu said, “The objective of the IPC is to prevent or reduce hospital acquired infection and microbial organisms in patients, healthcare workers and visitors to the facilities.”

He described IPC as clinical governance, strategic to fundamental delivery of safety for healthcare workers and the provisions of safe services for patients.

While promising that the document would be periodically reviewed in order to meet the global standard, he assured that the committee would ensure effective implementation of the policy.

In her contribution, the Chief Medical Director, Mother and Child Hospital, Eyenkorin, Dr Shukurat Bolanle Okeshina applauded the initiative aimed at the prevention of infections in the hospitals and promised to adhere to the policy in her hospital.

Dignitaries at the event included the Executive Secretary Kwara State Health Insurance Agency, Dr Olubunmi Winter-Jatawo represented by Mrs Titilope Iwarere; Director Medical Services and Training Hospital Board, Dr Femi Joseph; Chairman Medical Advisory Committee, Dr Ogunlaja Idowu; General Manager Harmony Diagnosis Centre, Mr M A. Aliu; representatives of KWEPA,Hospital Secretary ;all matrons and HoDs in the hospital, among others.