KENYA – The Ministry of Health in Kenya has put in place new drastic and comprehensive measures to contain multidrug resistant klebsiella pneumonia after an outbreak was recorded at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
The Ministry of Health announced that the KNH National Microbiology Reference Laboratory had on 22nd August 2022 identified an isolate of a multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumonia from the blood of an infant admitted to the neonatal critical care unit.
The Government ministry pointed out that the Klebsiella pneumoniae organism that was isolated from the new born unit was noted to be resistant to almost all the antibiotics available for treatment of neonates.
The ministry further said that since then, the same organism has been isolated from 13 neonates, who have all been managed as per standard procedures out of which, 6 have succumbed at the Kenyatta National Hospital.
Subsequently, Kenya’s Ministry of Health has developed a public health response plan to contain further spread of the viral disease such as increased surveillance, active screening for those at risk, contact precaution as well as environmental screening following the spate of confirmed neonatal cases.
The ministry, through the Division of Neonatal and Child Health, has stepped up country-level efforts to improve infant mortality rates with the aim of realizing Sustainable Development Goals target for infant mortality rate of 12 deaths or below per 1,000 live births.
The Division of Neonatal and Child Health in the Ministry of Health is also developing a tool for monitoring infants and sick newborns with the aim of better managing infections and reducing child mortality.
In addition, the development of the Maternal and Neonatal Health (MNH) quality of care standards which have already been finalized with the process of adaptation of the WHO quality of care standards for small and sick newborns in health facilities currently underway.
Kenya’s Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe lauded healthcare workers at the Kenyatta National Hospital for identifying and putting in place mechanisms to deal with the situation.
Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe emphasized that there was a need to enhance infection prevention and control measures amid an increase in rates of antimicrobial drug resistance cases.
Mutahi Kagwe stressed that the Kenyatta National Hospital and other health facilities need to review their surveillance systems to improve identification and management of healthcare acquired infections.
He encouraged all health facilities in the country to screen all babies at admission to new-born units for early identification and isolation of infected ones and to ensure continuous capacity building for all staff on infection prevention and control.
“All referral facilities must collaborate with other referring health facilities to minimize cross hospital transfer of infections,” Kagwe added.
In addition, the ministry is in the process of adopting and developing assessment tools for small and sick newborns up to the age of one month besides working with Counties of Kenya to build capacity as well as monitor how the prescribed quality of care standards is being implemented.
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