Knowledges and Attitudes of Health Workers on Antibiotic Prophylaxis in a Surgical Environment in Niamey

Objectives: To study antibiotic prophylaxis in Niamey. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional multicenter study conducted in five hospitals in Niamey over a period of four months from 16th June, to 15th, October, 2021. The study included anaesthetists, anaesthesia nurses, surgeons, surgeon nurses and surgical unit supervisor, who agreed to complete the survey supports. The variables studied were: age, profession, experience of practitioners, knowledges of surgery requiring antibiotic prophylaxis and duration, choice and prescription of antibiotics, need for post degree training. Results: Were been included 146 practitioners: 53 anaesthesia nurses, 31 surgeons, 30 surgeons nurses, 22 surgical unit supervisor and 10 anaesthetists. Their average age of practitioners was 40.85 years, ranging from 24 to 59 years. The study found that preventing infection was the goal of antibiotic prophylaxis for 91.78% of practitioners. Surgeries requiring antibiotic prophylaxis were clean and contaminated surgeries according to 64.38% and 56.84% of staff, respectively. The prescriber of antibiotic prophylaxis should be the anaesthetist according to 61.64% of respondents. The antibiotic should be administered 30 minutes before the incision for 56.85% of practitioners. Ceftriaxone was the most proposed antibiotic in 43.15%. Eighty-three percent of staff had not received after degree training on antibiotic prophylaxis. Conclusion: this study reveals the inadequacies of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis in Niamey hospitals. The difficulties are related to the unavailability of recommended antibiotics, the lack of protocol and the lack of training.