Citation Information :
Ashraf S, Bhushan D, Zaheer M. Healthcare-associated Infection Surveillance in Low- and Middle-income Countries: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Way Forward. 2024; 3 (1):12-17.
With a substantial impact on patient morbidity and mortality, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant public health concern. HAI surveillance plays a critical role in preventing and controlling these infections by providing accurate and timely data on the burden, trends, and risk factors associated with HAIs. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the development and implementation of HAI surveillance systems, both in high-income and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there are still many challenges that must be addressed, including resource limitations, lack of standardization, and data quality issues.
This review provides a comprehensive overview of HAI surveillance, including its history, evolution, methods, tools, strengths, limitations, challenges, and opportunities. It highlights the importance of international collaboration and partnerships in strengthening HAI surveillance systems, as well as the need for continued research and improvement in this area.
The findings of this review have important implications for policy and practice in HAI surveillance. They underscore the need for ongoing efforts to standardize and improve the quality of HAI surveillance data, as well as the importance of investing in emerging technologies and methods that can enhance the efficiency and accuracy of these systems. The review also highlights the critical role of international collaboration and partnerships in addressing the global burden of HAIs and provides recommendations for applying lessons learned from successful programs to other settings.
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