'Ensure robust practices and hygiene in hospitals', says Centre to states amid Black Fungus spread

New Delhi, May 22: In the recent days, some States and UTs have reported an increasing number of patients suffering from Mucormycosis, popularly known as Black Fungus. Taking a note of the secondary and opportunistic fungal infections which are getting amplified due to the present surge in COVID cases and Mucormycosis becoming a cause of concern, Union Ministry of Health has advised all States to review their preparedness for infection prevention and control, as well as hygiene and sanitation in hospitals.

 

Union Health Secretary in his letter to Chief Secretaries and Administrators of all States and UTs has urged them to undertake the following activities to ensure that there are robust infection prevention and control practices in COVID hospitals and other healthcare facilities:

 

1. Establish the Hospital Infection Control Committee with the head of the institution or an administrator as the chairperson.

 

 

2. Designate an infection prevention and control nodal officer – preferably a microbiologist or senior infection control nurse.

 

3. Prepare and implement the Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Programme in the hospital/health facilities, as per the guidance given in National Guidelines for Infection and Control in Healthcare Facilities

 

 

 

4. Emphasise and strengthen procedures and practices for IPC. 

 

5. Ventilation with focus on fresh air and natural ventilation wherever control systems with requisite air changes are not available.

 

 

6. Cleaning, disinfection and sanitation of the hospital environment and frequently touched surfaces, with recommended disinfectants like 1% sodium hypochlorite or 70% alcohol.

 

7. Train all hospital staff to develop their skills in IPC, irrespective of their individual routine duties, in implementing procedures and protocols described in the Hospital Infection Control Manual.

 

 

8. A State Nodal Officer needs to be identified to monitor the implementation of infection prevention and control to provide evaluation and feedback of the IPC programme in the state.

 

Meanwhile, States and UTs have been assured that Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will provide all necessary assistance to implement the National Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control in Healthcare Facilities.

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