The National Surgical Obstetric and Anaesthesia Plan (NSOAP) – encompassing a comprehensive infection prevention and control action – was unveiled last week.
The initiative aims to bolster the nation’s healthcare system and mitigate the spread of infectious diseases.
Unveiling the plan, health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula emphasised the ministry’s dedication to designing, implementing and expanding initiatives, aimed at fortifying the healthcare infrastructure in the country.
This is done while ensuring greater access and availability of quality healthcare services.
“We believe that as the disease burdens evolve, we need to put in place appropriate tools that are responsive and fit for purpose. Such tools may be policies, guidelines and plans that allow health workers to be methodical in the way health services are provided,” Shangula said.
He added that to ensure the successful implementation of the national surgical obstetric and anaesthesia plan, the ministry, with support from its partners in health, will allocate the necessary resources.
The ministry will also take a proactive role in monitoring and evaluating the implementation process, involving all partners and stakeholders in a continuous engagement to achieve the goal of universal health coverage for all.
In addition to the NSOAP, the guidelines for the operation theatre and central sterile services departments (CSSD) have been revised.
The CSSD will, in turn, support the implementation of the NSOAP intervention by assisting the administrative staff and healthcare workers of operating theatre and anaesthetic services to ensure the smooth functioning of those services.
It will further assist with the identification and management of risks in the operating theatre and CSSD.
“Our aim is to create a safe and effective healthcare system that provides high-quality care to everyone in Namibia. To support the effective implementation of the IPC Action Plan and ensure the safety of the patients, healthcare workers and the community, the IPC guidelines have been revised to align with the latest best practices in the field. I thank the quality assurance division for coordinating the development of the two action plans, and the respective task teams and technical working group members,” said Shangula.
Associate director for health policy and communication of CDC Namibia Rachel Coomer stated that the improvement in the quality of healthcare is essential in strengthening health systems.
“Increased access must be accompanied by improved quality of health services to achieve better health outcomes,” she said, adding that patient safety is a key dimension of quality of the healthcare with the focus on instituting strategies for reducing all unnecessary harm to patients.
Among others, patient safety incidents can cause death, disability and suffering for victims and their families, she noted.
“Strengthening surgical care systems is significant, as clinical conditions requiring surgical, obstetric and anaesthesia services amount to 30% of the global disease burden,” she said.
– epicnakwezy@nepc.com.na