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Scarcity of protective items against HIV and other bloodborne infections in 13 low‐ and middle‐income countries
Author(s) -
Gupta Shailvi,
Wong Evan G.,
Kushner Adam L.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/tmi.12371
Subject(s) - tanzania , medicine , sierra leone , psychological intervention , developing country , environmental health , workforce , health care , personal protective equipment , low and middle income countries , medical emergency , socioeconomics , nursing , economic growth , covid-19 , infectious disease (medical specialty) , disease , pathology , sociology , economics
Objective To assess protection of surgical healthcare workers against HIV and other bloodborne infections in low‐ and middle‐income countries ( LMIC s). Methods Literature review based on recent studies assessing baseline surgical capacity in LMIC s using the WHO S ituational A nalysis of A ccess to E mergency and E ssential S urgical C are, the S urgeons O ver S eas ( SOS ) P ersonnel, I nfrastructure, P rocedures, E quipment and S upplies ( PIPES ) survey and the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative survey tools. The availability of protective eyewear, sterile gloves and sterilisers was assessed. Results Thirteen individual country studies with relevant data were identified documenting items from 399 hospitals. The countries included A fghanistan, B olivia, G ambia, G hana, L iberia, M ongolia, N igeria, S ierra L eone, S olomon I slands, S omalia, S ri L anka, T anzania and Z ambia. Overall, only 29% (79/270) of hospitals always had eye protection. Sterilisers were only available at 64% (244/383) of facilities. Sterile gloves were the most available item, available at 75% of facilities (256/340). Conclusion Surgical healthcare worker protection for bloodborne infections continues to be deficient in LMIC s. Improved documentation of these items should be incorporated into future surgical capacity studies. Policy makers and clinicians should work together to secure resources and interventions that will protect this vital workforce.