IMA Committee suggests to set up ICC in hospitals

Thiruvananthapuram, May 3 (UNI) The expert committee, constituted by the local Indian Medical Association (IMA) unit, to look into the alleged increase in the neonatal mortality in In-Born Nursery (IBN), a premier state-run hospital in the Kerala capital, today suggested setting up of an Infection Control Cell (ICC) in the hospital immediately.

The ICC should be constituted in accordance with the WHO guidelines in all major hospitals in the state under the control and guidance of a state ICC. It should be under the direct supervision of the state Health Minister, so that the Minister would get timely informations during such occasions, committee convener Sreejith N Kumar told reporters here.

During its investigation, the expert committee had found there was lack of proper infection control mechanism in the state-run SAT hospital.

Pointing out that there was a possibility of the rate of infection increasing further, he said the exact source of the present outbreak could not be accurately located so far.

It also found that there was an increase in the incidence of sepsis amongs newborn in the hospital during the months of March and April, he said, adding the deaths due to sepsis had increased in the past two months among newborn in the IBN in the hospital and the death rate was significantly higher among the low birth weight and pre-term babies.

At least 38 newborn babies had died of alleged hospital-acquired infection in Kerala capital during the past four months, which had invited wide-spread protest and Health Minister P K Sreemathy removed Sree Avittam Tirunal (SAT) superintendent Rajmohan from the post and instituted a five-member panel to look into it.

UNI