NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: COST EFFECTIVE CONTROL AND PREVENTION

Abstract

Objectives: To review the efficient and cost-effective preventive, control and surveillance
measures that could be employed against nosocomial infections in developing countries.
Data sources: Literature search on compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM), Medline
and Internet, using the key words: nosocomial infection, prevention and control, use
of antibiotics and use of computers. Some articles were manually reviewed.
Study selection: Relevant studies or articles on nosocomial infections in developing and
developed countries were included in the review.
Data extraction: From individual studies or articles.
Data synthesis: Information on nosocomial infections from developing and developed
countries with some emphasis on Kenya is synchronized under the headings; introduction,
historical background of nosocomial infections. Current situation of nosocomial infections
and predisposing factors, nosocomial infections and antimicrobial resistance, consequences
of nosocomial infections, hospital infection control programme and use of computers
in nosocomial infection surveillance, and the cost benefit of infection prevention and
control programme.
Conclusion: Nosocomial infections may be contained more effectively by having an
infection prevention and control programme. Computer-assisted epidemiological
surveillance appears to be the most important aspect of monitoring infection control
programmes, and to identify changes in risk factors that can increase the infection rate.
Even minimally, effective infection control programmes are cost-effective. For the war
against nosocomial infections to be won, the whole exercise should be handled as a global
project with significant inputs from developing countries.