THE DEPARTMENT of Microbiology Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) and Medical Microbiology Association of Pakistan (MMAP) have collaborative by conducting a pre-conference workshop of International Conference of Advanced Educational Institute and Research Centre (AEIRC) with the name of Biosafety workshop in Research and Laboratory settings with hands on training at the Federal Urdu University on 1st February 2013. Over 20 participants including young researchers in the Biological area from various institutions attended the workshop.
Sikandar Sherwani, a trained expert conducted the workshop as a trainer and resource person. CEO, AEIRC, Sadaf Ahmad, highlighted the features of International Conference and the importance of research in Pakistan. Dr. Junaid Alam, Chief Guest from LNH, appreciated the efforts of the university and Sikandar. Dr. Omme-Hany from Karachi University spoke on the topics on Infection Control in Hospital Settings and Hospital Waste Management, and explained the audience that infectious disease is caused by a microorganism that can spread from one person to another like Bacteria, Virus and Fungus.
She highlighted that these infectious agents are passed to a susceptible person when he or she has contact with an infected persons skin, mucus membranes or body fluid (blood, urine, feces). She added that air borne mode of transmission is more critical. She showed the concerns that around 250,000 tons of medical waste is annually produced from all sorts of health care facilities in the country.
Prof. Shaheen Sharafat, another speaker form DIMC, spread via respiratory secretions that form when an infected person breaths, coughs or sneezes and as a result a susceptible person can become infected if the droplets enters his eyes, nose or mouth directly. She added that infection control addresses factors related to the spread of infections within the health-care setting, monitoring/investigation of demonstrated or suspected spread of infection within a particular health-care setting and management. He explained in simple words that Needle stick injury (NSI) means the par literal introduction into the body of healthcare worker, during the performance of their duties, of blood or other potentially hazardous material by a hollow bore needle or sharp instruments, including, but not limited to, needles, lancets, scalpels, and contaminated broken glass.
According to Sherwani, potential exposures are not limited to needle sticks alone, because manipulation of other sharp instruments or mucous membrane exposures to infected bodily fluids also can result in the transmission of infectious diseases. He drew the attention of all medical staff to hand hygiene in their profession For more than 100 years, research has shown that hand washing is the most important way to reduce the spread of infections in all walks of Life, but there is no effective implementation. According to CDC, one-million lives could be saved each year, if people washed their hands with soap.
Sherwani emphasized in the second day talk on the safe disposal of medical waste. Sherwani, the resource person of the workshop in his lecture stressed that during a surgical intervention, a high proportion of gloves becomes perforated. Hands should, therefore, be disinfected with a long-acting disinfectant before gloves are put on. This will not only kill all the transient flora, but will also prevent the microorganisms of the resident (or deeper) flora from taking the place of the transient flora during the intervention. For this purpose, hands should be washed for 5 to 10 minutes with an antibacterial detergent containing chlorhexidine or an iodophore, or rubbed twice for 2 minutes with an alcoholic solution of one of these antiseptics.
He differentiated that Vector-borne transmission is typical of countries in which insects, arthropods, and other parasites are widespread. These become contaminated by contact with excreta or secretions from an infected patient and transmit the infective organisms mechanically to other patients. Airborne transmission occurs only with microorganisms that are dispersed into the air and that are characterized by a low minimal infective dose. Only a few bacteria and viruses are present in expired air, and these are dispersed in large numbers only as a result of sneezing or coughing.
Dean Faculty of Science, FUUAST, Prof. Arif Zubair distributed the shields and certificates among the participants and the speakers. He appreciated the efforts of young faculty member Sherwani for organizing 24 workshops with practical demonstrations after getting international training. Dean Science also promised to have full cooperation in future events.
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