The forum showcased a continent-wide perspective on patient safety and quality improvement. You can watch a LIVE RECORDING of the session and read more about ACQUIRE here.
Session 3 of the ACQUIRE Quality Improvement (QI) Leadership Forum 2024 spotlighted Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) as a cornerstone of patient safety. Leaders and healthcare practitioners came together to discuss transformative strategies aimed at reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) – one of the most persistent and preventable risks to patient safety worldwide. This critical session underscored the importance of implementing robust IPC programs, which, as highlighted in the latest WHO report, have the potential to lower HAIs by up to 70%. The conversation brought to light actionable insights and shared commitments to advancing IPC measures that can significantly enhance healthcare quality across the continent.
The Burden of Healthcare-Associated Infections
The discussion opened with a compelling statistic: nearly 1 in 10 patients in African healthcare facilities acquire an HAI during treatment, often leading to severe complications or even death. These infections, often caused by antimicrobial-resistant organisms, can arise in any care setting—hospitals, nursing homes, or even home care. Healthcare leaders emphasized that these infections are not only preventable but represent one of the most pressing challenges in patient safety today.
Ms. Loyce Kihungi, Msc. IC, representing Kenya’s Ministry of Health and the CDC Foundation, emphasized the importance of robust IPC programs, remarking, “70% of healthcare-associated infections are preventable with effective IPC programs.” Her reminder that “we, as potential patients, wouldn’t want to acquire infections that are entirely preventable” resonated deeply with attendees, underlining the importance of patient-centered care and safety in healthcare systems.
Hand Hygiene: The Foundation of Infection Prevention
Among the fundamental practices for infection prevention and control, hand hygiene was identified as the “mother of infection control.” Ms. Loyce explained that a lack of hand hygiene compliance is still prevalent across healthcare facilities, with a baseline compliance rate of just 3% among Kenyan healthcare workers. “Hand hygiene is so trivialized,” she said, stressing that it is the most effective way to prevent disease transmission. To boost compliance, the World Health Organization’s multimodal improvement strategy for hand hygiene was recommended, which includes building necessary infrastructure, training healthcare staff, and consistent monitoring to sustain progress
Ms. Loyce summed up the strategy with, “Build the system, teach it, monitor it, and eventually, make it your culture.”
Lessons on Quality Improvement (QI) from the Covid-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic brought IPC to the forefront, amplifying the need for stringent practices to contain the virus within healthcare facilities. Ms. Loyce described how facilities implemented IPC protocols tailored to COVID-19, which included triaging patients, screening healthcare workers, and managing patient flow to prevent the spread of infection. These practices underscored the PDSA (Plan-Do-Study-Act) cycle as an adaptable method for continuous improvement during health crises. “COVID taught us the importance of IPC infrastructure and practices, especially in controlling high patient volume,” Ms. Loyce reflected.
The pandemic also exposed weaknesses in healthcare systems infrastructure, such as insufficient sinks for handwashing in wards with high bed occupancy. Ms. Loyce emphasized the importance of upgrading facilities with IPC in mind, suggesting that “infrastructure investment is key to sustainable IPC.”
Leadership and Cultural Change in IPC
Strong leadership emerged as a fundamental component in the success of IPC and QI initiatives. Ms. Loyce shared how consistent leadership support sustained hand hygiene initiatives at two facilities in Kenya, during the Covid-19 period. In resource-limited settings, supportive leadership ensured proactive supply management and encouraged staff commitment despite challenges such as staffing transitions. She noted, “With supportive leadership, you can make sustainable progress even in resource-limited settings.”
Leadership’s role in fostering a culture of safety was reinforced by ongoing training, mentorship, and regular evaluations, which help healthcare workers view QI and IPC as integral to their daily work rather than an external requirement.
The Path Forward: Embedding Quality Improvement into African Health Systems
As the session concluded, participants reflected on the cultural shift required to sustain QI and IPC efforts in healthcare. Ms. Loyce emphasized that “Quality improvement should be an individualized initiative, supported by institutional commitment” to create healthcare systems that are both compliant and genuinely patient-centered. With strong leadership, comprehensive training, and a commitment to patient safety, African healthcare systems can build more resilient foundations for safe, high-quality patient care.
