National Action Plan on Injection Safety launched

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s long history of HIV and hepatitis C outbreaks associated with unsafe injection practices has finally led to the development of an advanced draft of the National Action Plan on Injection Safety, which was launched here Tuesday with three broad action areas namely, regulations, creation of an enabling environment, and community empowerment.An initiative of the Ministry of National Health Services and the World Health Organisation (WHO), the document was unveiled in the presence of Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr. Zafar Mirza, WHO Representative Dr. Palitha Mahipala, Director General Health Dr. Assad Hafeez, health representatives from the provinces, and other stakeholders.Terming unsafe injection practices “a national challenge,” Dr. Zafar said a National Task Force on Injection Safety has been notified, local manufacturers and importers of syringes have been brought on board, and now a document articulating Pakistan’s national response to the health crisis has been developed. He solicited the support of the provinces for collective implementation of the multi-pronged strategies outlined in the document.Shedding light on the Action Plan, Dr. Zafar explained that within the purview of enhanced regulations, issues like supply of sub-standard syringes will be halted; rational use of injectable medicines will be promoted; quackery and malpractices will be addressed; and arrangements will be fostered for adequate management of healthcare waste. An enabling environment will be created through introduction of auto-disable syringes for therapeutic injections. Pakistan must switch over to the WHO recommended auto-disable safety engineered syringes by 2020.Moreover, healthcare workers will be trained on rational prescription of injections. Improving infection prevention and control and appropriate management of sharps and healthcare waste management will also be prioritised.The community empowerment component will include empowerment of patients and the community to question the provider regarding the need for an injection, and whether the syringe is new and sealed. “All of this may sound ambitious but there is no other way to do it,” he added.Dr. Mahipala said unsafe injection practices place a substantial burden of blood-borne injections like HIV and Viral Hepatitis, both of which are important public health issues in Pakistan.

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