Country Pledges
Q: What do Ministers of Health commit to by signing the statement of commitment (pledge)?
A: The general template for pledges, which most countries have used, with some additions or amendments, lists a series of actions which the Ministry resolve to work towards to reduce HAI.
These are listed below:
- Acknowledge the importance of HAI;
- Develop or enhance ongoing campaigns at national or sub-national levels to promote and improve hand hygiene among health-care providers;
- Make reliable information available on HAI at community and district levels to foster appropriate actions;
- Share experiences and, where appropriate, available surveillance data, with the WHO World Alliance for Patient Safety;
- Consider the use of WHO strategies and guidelines to tackle HAI, in particular in the areas of hand hygiene, blood safety, injection and immunization safety, clinical procedures safety, and water, sanitation and waste management safety.
In addition, Ministers resolve to work with health professionals and associations in their country:
- To promote the highest standards of practice and behaviour to reduce the risks of HAI;
- To foster and sustain collaboration with research institutions, training schools, educational centres, universities and health-care settings of other WHO Member States, to ensure full utilization of knowledge and experience in the field of health care-associated infection;
- To encourage senior management support and role-modeling from key staff to promote the implementation of interventions to reduce health care-associated infection.
Q: How many countries have already pledged by signing a statement?
As at September 2008, 114 countries have pledged. In almost all of the countries, a high profile event has taken place, and the Minister of Health has made a commitment using the pledge template provided by the WHO, with some modifications. In total, the countries that have signed the pledge to tackle HAI represent around three quarters of the world’s population.
Is there a cut-off point, after which the high profile "pledge" events will no longer be requested?
Clearly, a Challenge such as this gathers momentum over time. There are still many WHO Member States that have not made this symbolic commitment to tackle HAI. As the focus of the Challenge transitions to sustainability any member state interested in making the important pledge should contact the secretariat patientsafety@who.int to discuss their individual circumstances. We naturally welcome all WHO Member States to make this ministerial pledge.