Addressing the Prevalence of Healthcare-Associated Infections in India

Abstract

A principle rooted in the Hippocratic medical tradition is “first, do no harm,” a core value for healthcare providers around the world. This principle is based on the importance of ensuring that no medical harm is incurred by patients before any procedures are performed. However, this principle is often violated through unseen infections that affect patients in the clinical setting. Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are illnesses that originate within hospitals and healthcare facilities where patients receive treatment. The International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium reports the HCAI prevalence in India as approximately 9.06 infections per 1,000 intensive care unit (ICU) patient days; the HCAI infection rate can vary between 4.4 and 83.09 percent across different hospitals in India, which is considerably higher than other wealthy countries (Iyer et al., 2015). Not only can HCAIs have a negative impact on patients’ health, but they can also pose risks in the long run and present a financial burden. This article will address interactions between factors such as lack of resources for sanitation, knowledge gap in proper hospital hygienic practices, poor accountability procedures, and accuracy of hospital accreditation. Additionally, I explore ways for bridging the cultural gap by integrating Ayurvedic alternative medicine principles to allow for better retention of sanitation practices among communities at the local level. Overall, by working through these detailed factors, the Indian healthcare system can focus on going above and beyond its “do no harm” guideline and enhancing patients’ lives by addressing behavioral and structural challenges related to infections originating in the clinical setting.