The National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued a nationwide advisory to medical colleges, expressing alarm over the risk of patients contracting HIV and viral hepatitis through unsafe medical procedures. The regulator emphasized that such infections are entirely preventable but can occur when basic safeguards are ignored.
Strict Compliance Required
The NMC has ordered all medical colleges to use only sterile, single-use needles and syringes and strictly prohibit their reuse under any circumstances. Institutions must also strengthen hand hygiene practices and ensure proper segregation and disposal of injection-related waste. The advisory calls patient safety a non-negotiable mandate, demanding zero tolerance for syringe reuse, unsafe vial sharing, needle recapping, and improper disposal of sharps.
Preventing Blood-Borne Infections
Unsafe injection practices can lead to outbreaks of blood-borne infections, including HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. The advisory assumes significance as India administers millions of injections daily across public and private healthcare facilities. Public health experts warn that even a single lapse can expose multiple patients to life-threatening infections.
Adoption of Safety-Engineered Syringes
To reduce risks further, the NMC has advised medical colleges to progressively adopt safety-engineered auto-disable syringes that cannot be reused. Institutions must conduct periodic training and competency assessments for healthcare workers handling injections and other invasive procedures.
Reporting and Audits
The regulator directed hospitals to report needle-stick injuries and any cluster of infections for investigation. Hospital authorities must ensure post-exposure prophylaxis for healthcare workers as per National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) guidelines and conduct regular audits through infection-control teams.
Growing Concern Over Preventable Infections
The advisory underscores growing concern among health authorities that preventable healthcare-associated infections continue to pose a threat to patient safety. Strict adherence to standard protocols remains the most effective defense against transmission of blood-borne diseases.
