Corlia Kruger
Steve Biko Academic and George Mukhari hospitals are high on the list of unhygienic hospitals in Gauteng.
And patients have suffered the brunt of it.
George Mukhari Hospital recorded the second highest number of patients who contracted an infection in hospital in Gauteng last year, with 146 and Steve Biko Hospital was third highest with 138.
Statistics released by Gauteng Health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu revealed that 1 533 people contracted infections in provincial hospital in the last three years and 20 of them died.
“These infections are largely caused by poor hygiene,” says Jack Bloom, DA Gauteng shadow MEC for health.
Bloom says that the number of nosocomial infections, a clinical name for infections acquired while under medical care or in hospital, has increased alarmingly “from 236 in 2012, 322 in 2013 to 975 last year”.
The statistics showed that Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital was the worst culprit.
“Last year, 376 patients acquired nosocomial infections and 13 died. Most of the deaths were babies who acquired klebsiella pneumoniae,” says Mahlangu.
Other hospitals on the list are Leratong Hospital with 79 infections, Helen Joseph Hospital (77), Sebokeng Hospital (26) and Natalspruit Hospital (21).
The most common nosocomial infections last year were:
– Klebsiella pneumoniae caused 294 infections. The bacteria are common and can be found in the mouth, on skin, and in the intestinal tract, but can cause severe infection such as pneumonia, urinary tract infection and meningitis when inhaled.
– Acinetobacter baumannii caused 226 infections. The bacteria causes bacteremia, pneumonia, meningitis, urinary tract infection and wound infections.
– Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) caused 145 infections. This a strain of staph bacteria that has become resistant to antibiotics.
– Escherichia Coli or E. Coli caused 99 infections. In the main, most types are harmless but some can cause bloody diarrhoea.
– Pseudomonas aeruginosa caused 91 infections.
– Candida Albicans caused 51 infections. The is a common fungus but can be extremely harmful to people whose immune defenses are compromised either by disease or therapy such as chemotherapy.
Mahlangu says among the reasons for the hike in nosocomial infections are that too many people came to hospitals and babies born prematurely who have underdeveloped immune systems.
Mahlangu says that steps to bring down these infections include continuous monitoring and adherence to World Health Organization recommendations as well as the practice of good hygiene by people visiting sick relatives in hospital.
“I am disturbed by the increasing rate of nosocomial infections in Gauteng hospitals,” says Bloom.
“It is encouraging that only eight infections were recorded at the Charlotte MaxekeJohannesburg Hospital last year, which shows that infection rates can be kept down with proper care.”
http://rekordeast.co.za/60998/hospital-acquired-infections-on-the-rise-at-public-hospitals/