To encourage the usage of safety engineered devices, BD is organizing a ‘Santa Says…Stay Sharp Be Safe’ pan India campaign.

Aligned with its commitment towards safety of healthcare workers, the campaign will run during December 20-31 to spread awareness of healthcare worker safety across hospitals such as Medanta, Gangaram, Artemis, Columbia Asia, Apollo, PSRI, ESI, BLKapur to name a few in Delhi.

Realising the occupational hazards faced by workers in a healthcare setup, BD had initiated this campaign last year. This year, the campaign focuses on the issues faced by healthcare workers – needle stick injuries including exposure to bloodborne pathogens such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, being the most highest of all.

According to a study, India contributes to 30% of the 16 billion injections administered worldwide. Sadly, of these, 63% are estimated to be unsafe due to improper sterilization, reuse or faulty administration, making them a leading cause of infection to healthcare workers.

There have been epidemics of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C in many parts of the country due attributable to reuse of syringes and needles.

Dr. Deepak Singla, Medical Director, Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, NABH Assessor (QCI), JCI Accreditation Coordinator, New Delhi says” Injuries from blood-filled needles is the major reason because of which healthcare workers become vulnerable to blood borne pathogens and life- threatening diseases. Needles are mostly used in performing high-risk procedures like drawing blood, intravascular catheterization etc. The good news is that majority of the infections through needle stick injuries are preventable. Program like this one from (BD) like Santa Says… Stay Sharp, Be Safe campaign focusing on education and training of healthcare workers pertaining to needle stick injury prevention and use of safety engineered devices can go a long way in bringing down the incidence of infections.”

https://www.biospectrumindia.com/news/43/10074/bd-launches-a-campaign-to-encourage-usage-of-safety-engineered-devices.html

This is an important initiative that deserves praise. Of course, BD are hoping to sell their own safety engineered safety sharps and there is nothing wrong with that.

Crucially, the standards of healthcare safety, healthcare hygiene, sharps and healthcare waste management across the ISC is appalling, and this will surely help, more so if those devices offered for sale ensure that once used safety engineered devices cannot be re-used. Sadly, not all products can do that, but this is without doubt a step in the right direction and deserves support.

Well done, BD.