Kuti, head of the hospital’s staff medical services and a consultant family physician to the HIV programme at the Institute of Infectious Diseases, UCH, Ibadan said the figure of needle pricks seems to be rising.

“In 2019, data showed 13 doctors and five medical students had needle prick injuries. Some of these doctors have had PEP before and are again coming back with another needle stick injury,” she revealed.

Dr Kuti, however, lamented “about 75 per cent of those who experience needlestick and injuries from other sharp objects just dismiss it and will not even report for risk assessment or treatment. Those that came for PEP are those with high-risk injuries.

“Many think about HIV but not hepatitis B and C infections, which could also cause liver disease and liver cancer. Hepatitis B is preventable through vaccination.

“HIV is preventable through post-exposure prophylaxis; patients are given HIV drugs for a month. But for hepatitis C, there is no vaccine or drug. Once you get exposed to hepatitis C, they practically wait to see if you get hepatitis C infection. But the good thing is that it is treatable; it’s just that the drugs are not readily available in Nigeria.

“So, you need to look at the needle differently, and then really know that prevention is the best option.”

According to her, needlestick or sharp injuries occur when there is the penetration of the skin by a needle or other sharp objects which have been in contact with blood, tissue, or other body fluids of patients.

Dr Kuti said instruments or things that can cause such injuries include cannular, needles for injections and insulin, surgical blades and sutures for surgeons.

“The risk of transmission is higher when such a patient has a high viral load of HIV or hepatitis B or C or the device had entered major blood vessels of the body such as the artery or vein or has visible blood on it.

She said aside from workers that received PEP treatment following an accidental splash of blood or body fluids of patients on their eyes, nose and mouth, others were from rape, human bite and unprotected sex.

The expert linked many cases of occupational needlestick injuries at the hospital to recapping of used needles, ignorance about standard precautions, lack of personal protective pieces of equipment, staff fatigue, distraction at work and poor working condition.

She urged that treatment of all occupational needle stick and sharp injuries cases with PEP must commence within 72 hours of their occurrence, and those placed on PEP treatment  to ensure that they complete their course of treatment.

Professor Segun Ogunlade, an orthopaedic surgeon, who spoke on trips and falls in the hospital, stated that trips and falls are the second most common cause of work-related injuries in hospitals.

According to him, such trips and falls account for 30 per cent of work absenteeism in the hospital in a month in some developed countries.

He declared that injuries from trips and falls were also contributory to reduced productivity, expensive worker compensation claim and diminished ability to care for patients.

These injuries he said, occur due to factors like walking surface irregularities, badly marked stairs, inadequate lighting of the hospital, wet floor, inappropriate footwear and exposed cords on walkways.

He therefore called for the identification of the types of injury, contaminants and hazards in hospitals as well as the training of healthcare workers on how best to remain protected from them.

Earlier, the Chief Medical Director, UCH, Ibadan, Professor Jesse Otegbayo, speaking through the chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital, Dr Victor Akinmoladun said the hospital sees the health and safety of staff as its duty.Otegbayo said these are critical in the hospital setting, thus the celebration of the week at the hospital.

Head, Department of Community Medicine and chairman of the symposium, Professor Eme Owoaje, stressed the need for a safe workplace and health of workers in the hospital, stressing that even among medical students, needleprick injury is common.

Source: Nigeriantribune