Minister secures €60m funds to fight superbug

SIMON Harris has secured Government approval for a €60million three-year plan to combat the deadly, antibiotic-resistant hospital superbug CPE, which he warned poses a ‘significant’ threat to healthcare.

Incidents of the virus – described as a ‘serious global concern’ by health officials – have been on the rise in Ireland, with 16 people infected following an outbreak at the Mercy Hospital in Cork last month.

Before this, in October, an independent report by the University of Limerick Hospital Group found that CPE may have contributed to the deaths of eight patients over an eight-year period.

Carbapenemase producing enterobacteriaceae (CPE) is one of the newest antibiotic-resistant superbugs. It resides in the gut or stomach and is harmless if it remains there, but can be fatal if it spreads to the urine or blood.

It was first detected in Ireland in 2009 and the HSE said it was one of the most difficult superbugs to kill with antibiotics.

The Health Minister has now received Cabinet approval for a plan to increase prevention, surveillance and to control the spread of the deadly bug.

‘CPE continues to be a significant threat to the Irish health system and if not contained will have significant implications for healthcare delivery in Ireland,’ said Mr Harris.

‘We are not, however, starting from square one in addressing this challenge. Our three-year National Action Plan, iNAP, provides the structure for tackling healthcareassociated infection and AMR (ambulatory medical records), and it builds on the processes and procedures already in place for the provision of a safe health service. Experience in 2018 has also shown that significant improvements can also be achieved.

‘Our task now is to continue in our focused work programme to this end.’

The virus is said to be the most resistant to antibiotics of all superbugs.

It poses a particular risk to older people and those with reduced immune system function.

The Minister for Health declared a national public emergency over CPE in October 2017.

The Government’s three-year plan is comprised of four specific actions: CPE screening in hospitals, public awareness, solving problems in infection prevention and control, and fixing infrastructure problems.

‘The emergence of CPE is of serious global concern. Information shows there is a rapid increase in incidence,’ a Department of Health spokesperson said.

‘CPE was first reported here in 2009 and the numbers have increased in recent years. The need to address it cannot be clearer. It is expected to cost in the region of €20million a year, which will be funded as part of the budget allocation and service planning process.’

The outbreak of CPE at the Mercy Hospital in Cork was highlighted by inspectors from the Health Information and Quality Authority.

It later emerged that 16 patients were infected with the deadly superbug that can kill within days. Furthermore, three quarters of them picked up the infection after being admitted to the hospital.

In December, the Mercy Hospital told Hiqa inspectors that 110 patients who came into contact with CPE cases had been identified in the past year.

The report also found that the hospital had not succeeded in eliminating the superbug, but had managed to contain the number of new cases and infections to very low levels.

Experts stress that testing positive for a superbug does not mean you face imminent death.

Many healthy people will have some form of colonisation of a bug in their gut, and it is only when the bug enters the bloodstream that problems arise.

This usually occurs among patients in healthcare settings where they may require devices such as ventilators, or urinary or intravenous catheters, and those who are taking long courses of certain antibiotics.

In August of last year, a CPE outbreak led to unprecedented levels of overcrowding at Limerick University Hospital as patients had to be isolated to prevent the bug from spreading.

‘Significant implications’ Picked up CPE in the hospital