Context:We believe that there is significant educational deficit amongst interns regarding up-to-date formal knowledge and skills on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) which might compromise patient safety. This urgently requires curriculum innovations to ensure their formal training on HAIs prevention and control.Aim:Education of interns to improve their knowledge and skills toward HAIs prevention and control.Subjects and Methods:This pilot study was conducted in interns using a multimodal approach consisting of a combination of videos, PowerPoint presentation, and hands-on demonstration to provide applied and practical teaching on prevention and control of HAIs. Pre- and post-test assessment of knowledge, attitude, and skills was carried out by multiple choice questions, 5-point Likert scale, and Objective Structured Practical Examination respectively.Statistical Analysis Used:Paired t-testResults:A statistically significant improvement in the overall score rates between pre- and post-test of intern's was seen, suggesting that educational programs have a positive effect. Intern's felt benefitted from interventions focused on HAIs prevention and control and hoped that such sessions are integrated in the regular undergraduate curriculum. A majority of the students felt that their learning style assessment matched well with their own perception of learning preference.Conclusions:Assessment drives learning; hence strengthening the contribution of health-care workers to HAIs prevention programs should include measures that enhance knowledge, improve skills and develop appropriate attitudes, resulting in safety and quality of patient care.

Screening of blood donors for viral pathogens has greatly improved the safety of donated blood. However, transfusion associated bacterial sepsis, remains an important public health concern, which has received very little attention. Therefore this study was carried out to determine the prevalence of bacterial contamination in donor blood and blood products, to find the commonly contaminated blood product and to identify the microorganisms involved. The present study was conducted on 136 random blood samples received in the Department of Microbiology, GMC, Jammu for a period of 1 year i.e. April 2017-2018. Bacteria were identified using standard bacteriological and biochemical methods. The overall prevalence rate was 12.50% (Packed cells, 21.21%; Platelets, 10.41%; Whole blood 9.09%). The most commonly isolated bacteria were Klebsiella sp, Staph. aureus and CONS. Most of the contaminated samples had 3-7 days of storage time. Maximum number of contaminated samples was from Blood Bank, GMC, Jammu. This concludes that bacterial contamination of donor blood and blood components is common in our hospital setting. Active surveillance methods to improve the safety of transfusion, regular monitoring and educating the clinical staff can help in reducing the contamination of transfusion blood.

HIV/AIDS has emerged as the single most formidable challenge to public health and Health Care professionals. Apart from doctors and nurses, laboratory technicians and nursing orderlies are an important component of the health care delivery system and form a potential risk group for HIV/AIDS spread due to frequent and prolonged contact. In this group an adequate knowledge of the different aspects of the disease are of great importance, hence a cross-sectional study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital to assess the level of awareness of HIV/AIDS in health care workers. A pretested questionnaire was used as an investigating tool and distributed among the various respondents. The awareness regarding the infectious nature of the virus and methods of transmission was adequate though information regarding vertical transmission was a grey area in the respondents. Regarding the prevention of transmission of HIV in terms of practicing universal precautions was found to be in order of 88%, 84%, 84% and 74% among technicians, doctors, nurses and class IV workers. Availability of diagnostic tests for HIV infection was known mainly to doctors (92%) and less than 60% of other workers. Knowledge of respondents about the benefits of PEP (post exposure prophylaxis) and ART (anti retro viral therapy) was not satisfactory. Thus, sensitizing the hospital staff to the various aspects of disease through an active health education programme in the form of CME's, posters, group discussion is required for effective control of the disease.