Improving Medical Injection Safety in Namibia Project
Overview and Objectives
Provided technical support to the Ministry of Health and Social Services for reducing the transmission of HIV and other blood-borne pathogens among patients and providers during delivery of medical injections.
Achievements
- Developed and put into operation policy documents, such as the National Infection and Prevention and Control Guidelines, National Quality Assurance Policy, and National Waste Management Policy and Guidelines
- Average number of injections prescribed per patient declined from 1.42 per patient visit at baseline to less than 0.5 in 2009
- By project end, re-use of syringes or needles had stopped at all facilities
- Use of safe sharp containers rose from 2% of 32 hospitals at baseline to 95% of 167 reporting facilities in 2009