PHCC celebrates International Infection Prevention Week

The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) celebrated the International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW), which highlighted scientifically based measures to prevent infection. The PHCC organised various informative events and activities like awareness lectures on Covid-19 and its prevention, seasonal influenza vaccinations, hand hygiene, and other topics for health providers in the healthcare centres, through the corporation’s official e-platforms, in Arabic and English.

Infection control co-ordinator at PHCC’s Communicable Disease and Infection Prevention Department, Dr Ahmad Hashem, said the Covid-19 pandemic showed the vital role of infection prevention and control practitioners in fighting the pandemic.

He stressed that those in charge of infection control must continue to work diligently to prevent healthcare-associated infections, as well as outbreaks of measles, influenza, and other daily challenges to prevent the spread of communicable diseases among members of the community.

Launched in 1986, the IIPW is celebrated from October 17 to 23. This year’s theme is “Make Your Intention Infection Prevention.”

The activities and events of the week come as a reminder and aim to focus on the importance of infection prevention and control as well as its role in the health and safety of patients and healthcare workers.

In co-operation with PHCC and Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) organised the Qatar Infection Control Week of 2021 under the slogan “Breaking the Infection Chain.”

Qatar Infection Control Week is a national initiative launched by the MoPH through its Department of Strategic Planning and Performance, as part of the International Infection Prevention Week, to raise awareness and spread infection control concepts among all healthcare providers as well as the public in Qatar.