HEALTHINFO@EarthyMe

“Got sick because of the hospital” is a layman’s language to the so-called HOSPITAL ASSOCIATED/ACQUIRED INFECTIONS (HAI), or also medically termed as NOSOCOMICAL INFECTION. As in my post title, it is the “hospital giveaway” that some have the misfortune of getting during their stay in a health care institution while being treated for another problem.

World Health Organization defines

HOSPITAL ACQUIRED INFECTION as an infection acquired in hospital by a patient who was admitted for a reason other than that infection (1). An infection occurring in a patient in a hospital or other healthcare facility in whom the infection was not present or incubating at the time of admission. This includes infections acquired in the hospital but appearing after discharge, and also occupational infections among staff of the facility (2).

You would probably say "is that possible?" It seems absurd that the healthcare institution causes the ailment when they are the ones to cure diseases and is providing patient care. But it does happen. In fact it has been a challenge to all hospitals and health institutions to combat this problem that has been affecting not only patients and their love ones but hospital staffs as well. It is even a greater challenge to places with lesser funds than the United States, maybe in your country as well, but all the same a rising concern that needs dire attention. Thus, the need for education and spreading of information is a course being taken into account in addition to the existing procedures in hospitals to further speed up the accomplishment of doing without these Hospital Associated Infections. To a smaller scale, this information will benefit you and your family in cases of exposure to hospital settings. Whether you are admitted in the health institution, you are a visiting family or friend, or you are working in the institution, awareness to the possibility of acquiring infections on your stay and knowing the way to steer clear of it will be beneficial; in the same manner preventing to transmit it to others or others passing it on to another.


Not On My Watch is a prevention campaign that helps in educating the public to the who, what, when, where and how information on Hospital Associated Infection. Primary advantage this can give is that people will be put to awareness and so will join hands in struggling to avoid or reduce infection spread. Secondary, health institutions will benefit against their competitors in being in tip-top shape of having reduced, if not zero, cases of Hospital Associated Infections like infections in the blood stream, surgical tract, urinary tract or pneumonia. Therefore, in totality, campaigns such as Not On My Watch are beneficial for all! And I believe that providing hospital management and staffs with information to ways in achieving the goal of minimizing infection spread is the very first step.



Salute to Kimberly-Clarke Corporation for their desire to spread awareness and paving a way to do that for the good of people all over the world.