MoH impose drastic measures to address multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumonia
The Ministry of Health has mooted a multi-pronged drastic measures in a bid to address the challenge presented by multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumonia.
The measures that include increased surveillance, active screening for those at risk, contact precaution, as well as environmental screening, come in the wake of thirteen reported neonatal cases at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
Speaking yesterday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe lauded healthcare workers at the national referral hospital, the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) for mooting strategies to address the skyrocketing prevalence rate amid an increase in rates of antimicrobial drug resistance cases.
The CS said the referral hospital is one of the health facilities need to review their surveillance systems to improve the identification and management of healthcare acquired infections screen all babies at admission to new-born units for early identification and isolation of infected ones and ensure continuous capacity-building for all staff on infection prevention and control.
He added that all referral facilities must collaborate with other referring health facilities to minimize the cross-hospital transfer of infections.
Late last month, KNH microbiology laboratory identified an isolate of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumonia from the blood of an infant admitted to the neonatal critical care unit.
The Klebsiella pneumoniae organism that was isolated from the newborn unit was noted to be resistant to almost all the antibiotics available for the treatment of neonates.
The MOH through the division of Neonatal and child health has enhanced efforts to improve infant mortality rates which stood at 22 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014 with the aim of realizing SDG’s target for an infant mortality rate of 12 deaths or below per 1,000 live births.
Among the measures include the development of the Maternal and Neonatal Health quality of care standards which have already been finalized with the process of adaptation of the WHO quality of care standards for small and sick new-born in health facilities currently underway.
