Implementation Challenges in Healthcare-associated Antimicrobial Resistance Prevention and Control in India

Abstract

The containment and management of emerging and re-emerging life-threatening infections are a challenge to healthcare institutions. The hospital staff, patients, persons accompanying the patients, and visitors are susceptible to various infections from the healthcare institutions. These healthcare-associated infections (HAI) affect the quality of healthcare services provided in the hospital and pose threats to the persons working or seeking health or visiting such institutions. The HAIs can be worsened by microbial strains, which are less susceptible to a variety of antibiotics. Practices in healthcare institutions and patients such as over-prescription and overuse of antibiotics, high patient density, frequent contact with health care staff, cross-infection from attendants and devices can trigger the spread of antimicrobial resistance from healthcare institutions. Evidence has shown that Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is a scientific approach to prevent HAIs from causing harm to patients and healthcare workers. To implement the IPC, the healthcare institutions must have adequate infrastructure, administrative systems, capacity and support of staff and patients for behavioural interventions, and institutional surveillance mechanism. Healthcare institutions in developing countries like India experiencing various challenges in implementing IPC to contain HAIs. This book chapter examines the challenges in implementing IPC activities for AMR prevention and control in Indian healthcare settings and is expected to provide suggestions for effective implementation of such policies.