Organization of anti-epidemic measures in medical treatment institutions of Ukraine is one of the important components of preventing the spread of dangerous diseases of viral and bacterial origin. A large part of the organization of such preventive measures is compliance with the requirements for disinfection and circulation of linen and other textile products in such medical treatment institutions.
Thus, medical institutions use a large number of different linens: special clothes for doctors and medical personnel, sheets from examination rooms and manipulation rooms, linens from wards, etc. All of this is an integral part of the treatment process and one of the factors in the possible transmission of hospital-acquired infections (HAI).
Proper organization of work with hospital linen is a necessary component of the prevention of nosocomial infections in medical institutions. If there is no proper washing and disinfection system, this can lead to infection of staff and patients if the rules for handling linen are not followed.
In the case of poor-quality equipment, washing products and non-compliance with washing and disinfection technologies, this has negative consequences that lead to damage to linen, when choosing the wrong detergent, waste of water and electricity, when using outdated technologies, allergic reactions among staff and patients when using low-quality laundry detergents, etc.
This problem is becoming especially relevant now, in the context of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
If we look at the specialized medical literature, the problem of the spread of nosocomial infections is given enough attention, and proper disinfection of linen is an indisputable factor in stopping such spread.
Thus, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, represented by the National Medical University named after A. A. Bogomolets, has developed a special manual “Prevention of hospital-acquired infections” (hygienic, epidemiological and microbiological aspects), which specifically pays attention to washing hospital linen.
Also, the current legislation of Ukraine regulates the procedure for washing and disinfecting linen in hospitals. Thus, work with hospital linen should be organized in accordance with the order of the Ministry of Health "On approval of the Instructions for the collection, sorting, transportation, storage, disinfection and washing of linen in healthcare institutions" dated 30.04.2014 No. 293 (hereinafter referred to as the Instructions).
This Instruction contains requirements for healthcare institutions to reduce the risk of spreading nosocomial infections, and clarifies and explains individual provisions of the following orders of the Ministry of Health:
- “On the organization of control and prevention of postoperative purulent-inflammatory infections caused by microorganisms resistant to the action of antimicrobial drugs” dated 04.04.2012 No. 236 ;
- “On the organization of prevention of nosocomial infections in obstetric hospitals” dated 10.05.2007 No. 234 ;
- “On approval of methodological recommendations “Epidemiological surveillance of surgical site infections and their prevention” dated 04.04.2008 No. 181
This Instruction defines the procedure for the technology of processing both infected and uninfected linen and applies to all laundries located in healthcare institutions of state and municipal ownership and is aimed at reducing the risk of occurrence and spread of hospital-acquired infections by improving the organization of the linen regime and introducing modern technologies for processing textile products.
To ensure sanitary-hygienic and anti-epidemic regimes and prevent the spread of nosocomial infections through the linen of maternity hospitals, anti-tuberculosis institutions, gynecological, surgical, dermatovenerological and infectious diseases hospitals (dispensaries), washing of linen from these institutions should be carried out in specially designated laundries, separately from other hospitals and departments.
If there is no possibility to have a special laundry, such linen is washed separately from the linen of other departments. In this case, the linen is received in a separate room, where a division into a "dirty" and "clean" section is provided.
