Abstract

ISMAIL, N.A.; ABOUL FTOUH, A.M.; EL-SHOUBARY, W.H.  and  MAHABA, H.. Safe injection practice among health-care workers in Gharbiya Governorate, Egypt. East. Mediterr. health j. [online]. 2007, vol.13, n.4, pp. 893-906. ISSN 1020-3397.

We assessed safe injection practices among 1100 health-care workers in 25 health-care facilities in Gharbiya Governorate. Questionnaires were used to collect information and 278 injections were observed using a standardized checklist. There was a lack of infection control policies in all the facilities and a lack of many supplies needed for safe injection. Proper needle manipulation before disposal was observed in only 41% of injections, safe needle disposal in 47.5% and safe syringe disposal in 0%. Reuse of used syringes and needles was reported by 13.2% of the health-care workers and 66.2% had experienced a needle-stick injury. Only 11.3% had received a full course of hepatitis B vaccination.