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The directorate of Infection Control in Kuwait was established in 2001 under the umbrella of the Ministry of Health. The purpose of the Directorate of Infection Control is to control and prevent the spread of infection within the healthcare institutions and the community to reduce infection rates. It is relevant to all aspects of healthcare and specialties.
As a Director of Infection Control, I provide the leadership to the Infection Control work program to ensure a high-profile across the organisation and local hospitals. Having corporate responsibility and executive authority, I lead the implementation of strategies to reduce healthcare-associated infections at all levels within the health institutions. However, tackling infection is a real team effort. All healthcare workers have the duty of preventing infection and maintaining a safe environment.
To achieve our mission of ‘’a safe healthcare environment free from healthcare-associated infections’’, the department conducts regular real-life observations on facilities and clinical areas practices against a set and accepted best practice standards of care. Through the implementation of infection control programs in the form of surveillance, isolation, environmental hygiene, employee health, and infection prevention policies and management, the objectives of the directorate can be achieved.
No country, even within the most sophisticated healthcare systems, can claim to be free of health-related infection. However, with regular monitoring, policy implementation, appropriate training/ education, and teamwork, reducing such a burden can be achieved.
Dr. Ahmad Almotawa
Director, Infection Control Directorate
Ministry of Health
Kuwait
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