Infection control is an often neglected clinical subject in Hong Kong until the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003. A total of eight healthcare workers, including four medical doctors, succumbed as a result of nosocomial acquisition of SARS-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) at the time. Since then, the importance of infection control practice was much better appreciated by the frontline healthcare workers, as it can be a matter of life-or-death. My thesis summarized our research on the proactive infection control measures to prevent nosocomial transmission of respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses, to control emerging and endemic antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and on the management of unprecedented infection outbreaks in the hospital. Promotion of hand hygiene is the cornerstone of proactive infection control measures. By adopting the concept and practice of directly-observed hand hygiene, we demonstrated successful control of outbreaks and prevention for both respiratory and gastroenteritis viruses. Introduction of electronic devices for continuous monitoring of hand hygiene compliance in high risk clinical areas provides an opportunity for immediate feedback and timely education to frontline staffs. The global dissemination of multiple drug resistant organisms (MDROs) such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE), hypervirulent clone of Clostridium difficile, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing organisms, and the recently described carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE), pose a great challenge to the infection control professionals. In Hong Kong, MRSA has been endemic for more than two decades. Although we proved that the appropriate use of single room isolation and hand hygiene can significantly reduce the incidence of nosocomial MRSA in the adult intensive care unit, the isolation facilities remain limited in the general medical and surgical units. Innovations are much in need to manage this old and persistent problem. Therefore, we demonstrated that use of antibiotics, in particular beta-lactams and fluoroquinolones, could increase the risk of environmental contamination by increasing microbial density of MRSA in the anterior nares by 2-3 log10 in as little as 1 week. We also found that some MRSA strains such as spa types t1081 and t037 were more transmissible. Based on these findings, we prioritized our isolation facilities for those patients who are heavily colonized or infected with highly transmissible spa-type t1081, especially when they are receiving antibiotic therapy. Along with our enhancement of hand hygiene practices and antibiotic stewardship program, the incidence of MRSA bacteremia per 1000-patient-days was the lowest among the seven hospital clusters in Hong Kong. We believe that our experience in the control of the MRSA can be extended to contain the spread of CA-MRSA and other MDROs. Besides the prevailing infectious diseases with high endemicity, we have to be vigilant against other potential outbreaks due to uncommon micro-organisms such as the polymicrobial outbreak in patients undergoing intermittent peritoneal dialysis caused by hospital renovation, the unprecedented outbreak of intestinal mucormycosis caused by Rhizopus microsporous among the patients with hematological malignancy, and the nosocomial outbreak of legionellosis in our locality. Extensive outbreak investigations were performed, which demonstrated that environmental factors were also important in causing nosocomial outbreaks. / published_or_final_version / Microbiology / Master / Doctor of Medicine

published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing

Enteral feeding is commonly used in paedaitric patients. It helps to improve the digestive, absorptive, immunologic and nutrition status. However, poor handling in enteral feeding can lead to bacterial contaminations and severe consequences resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. At present, there are no definite guidelines on the handling of enteral feeding in local setting, therefore developing evidence based guideline on enteral feeding is critically important to eliminate inconsistent practices and prevent nosocomial infections related to enteral feeding. This dissertation is a translational nursing research that aims at developing evidence based guideline on enteral feeding in infants. The objectives of this thesis are to search for existing literatures on enteral feeding; perform a critical appraisal on the literatures; develop guideline on enteral feeding in infants; assess the implementation potential of the proposed guidelines, and develop the implementation and evaluation plans. The ultimate goal is to reduce the nosocomial infections in infants with enteral feeding in an acute hospital. A systemic search for relevant and valid evidence was performed using three electronic databases and nine relevant studies were retrieved. Critical appraisals on the nine studies were performed and the level of evidence for each study was graded according to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN). By synthesizing the data from nine studies, it is concluded that optimal hang time and proper hand hygiene appeared to have significant effect in reducing nosocomial infections related to enteral feeding. The implementation potential of the innovation was assessed in terms of the transferability, feasibility and cost benefit ratio. After assessing the implementation potential, it is found that the evidence is transferable and feasible to implement the proposed guideline in the target paeditaric setting. An evidence based guideline on enteral feeding in infants was developed. An implementation plan of the new guideline included a comprehensive communication plan with both administration and nurses and a pilot test were developed to ensure a smooth implementation and optimize the transferability and effectiveness of the evidence based guideline in the target population. A systematic evaluation plan on patient outcomes, health care provider outcomes and systemic outcomes was developed. The evidence based guideline on enteral feeding was expected to be implemented in the long run to reduce the risk of nosocomial infections in infants with enteral feeding. / published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing

published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing in Advanced Practice

Preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAI) is a national priority. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one of every 25 hospitalized patients contract a HAI while receiving care. In 2009, the annual cost for HAIs in United States’ hospitals was estimated to be $40 billion, and there were 99,000 HAI-associated deaths. In nursing homes (NH), the situation is more dire; among the 4 million NH residents each year, there are 1-2.6 million serious infections and 1 out of every 3 NH residents is colonized with a multi-drug resistant organism. In addition to the frequent infections, over prescription of antibiotics in NH is significant, and frequently inappropriate. NH residents with HAIs are subjected to burdensome treatments and diagnostic procedures, leading to more complications in an already vulnerable population in which quality of life not life prolongation is often the treatment goal. Policy levers are actions designed to realize health objectives that can be taken by either public or private entities, and by individuals or groups. Health policy levers are deployed at all levels including federal, state, regional, and local levels. Vaccinations, such as polio, are one of the great success stories of how policy levers can prevent infections. However, undermined and eroded policy levers can have negative public health consequences, such as seen with the 2018-2019 rash of measles outbreaks. There is much work left to be done improving quality related to infections across all care settings. For this dissertation, I utilized the three-paper format and conducted studies examining the effectiveness of health policy levers used to improve healthcare quality and prevent infections across care settings. These studies were: 1) a systematic review of the published evidence on state mandatory reporting of HAI in hospitals; 2) an environmental scan cataloging state supported initiatives in NH infection prevention, and; 3) a quantitative analysis on the effect of new federal NH regulations on NH quality and patient outcomes. In the systematic review, I found that mandatory reporting was associated with reduced central line associate bloodstream infection rates. The environmental scan demonstrated that wide variation existed between states’ initiatives to support infection prevention in NH. In the quantitative analysis, I found that new federal regulations were significantly associated in improved NH quality in UTI rates and vaccination rates for influenza and pneumonia infections. Based on these results, clinical providers, administrators, policy makers and researchers can use health policy levers to reduce infections and improve quality.

Abstract not available

Bibliography / Thesis (MMed (Pathology. Medical Microbiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as one of the most troublesome nosocomial pathogens globally. This organism causes infections that are often extremely difficult to treat because of the widespread resistance to the major antibiotic groups. Colonization or infection with multidrugresistant A. baumannii is associated with the following risk factors: prolonged hospital stay, admission to an intensive care unit (ICU), mechanical ventilation, and exposure to broad spectrum antibiotics, recent surgery, invasive procedures, and severe underlying disease. A. baumannii has been isolated as part of the skin flora, mostly in moist regions such as axillae, groin and toe webs. It has also been isolated from the oral cavity and respiratory tract of healthy adults. Debilitated hospitalized patients have a high rate of colonization, especially during nosocomial Acinetobacter outbreaks. This organism is an opportunistic pathogen as it contains few virulence factors. Clinical manifestations of A. baumannii include nosocomial pneumonia, nosocomial bloodstream infections, traumatic battlefield and other wound infections, urinary tract infections, and post-neurological surgery meningitis. Fulminant community-acquired pneumonia has recently been reported, indicating that this organism can be highly pathogenic. The number of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii strains has been increasing worldwide in the past few years. Therefore the selection of empirical antibiotic treatment is very challenging. Antibiotic combinations are used mostly as empirical therapy in critically ill patients. One rationale for the use of combination therapy is to achieve synergy between agents. The checkerboard and time-kill methods are two traditional methods that have been used for synergy testing. These methods are labor intensive, cumbersome, costly, and time consuming. The E-test overlay method is a modification of the E-test method to determine synergy between the different antibiotics. This method is easy to perform, flexible and time efficient. The aim of this study was to assess the in vitro activity of different combinations of colistin, rifampicin, imipenem, and tobramycin against selected clinical strains of A. baumannii using the checkerboard and the E-test synergy methods. The MICs obtained with the E-test and broth microdilution method were compared. The results of the disk diffusion for imipenem and tobramycin as tested in the routine microbiology laboratory were presented for comparison. Overall good reproducibility was obtained with all three methods of sensitivity testing. The agreement of MICs between the broth dilution and E-test methods was good with not more than two dilution differences in MIC values for all isolates, except one in which the rifampicin E-test MIC differed with three dilutions from the MIC obtained with the microdilution method. However, the categorical agreement between the methods for rifampicin was poor. Although MICs did not differ with more than two dilutions in most cases, many major errors occurred because the MICs clustered around the breakpoints. The combinations of colistin + rifampicin, colistin + imipenem, colistin + tobramycin, rifampicin + tobramycin, and imipenem + tobramycin all showed indifferent or additive results by the E-test method. No results indicating synergy were obtained for all the above-mentioned combinations. There was one result indicating antagonistic effect for the combination of colistin + tobramycin. The results of the checkerboard method showed results indicating synergy in four of the six isolates for which the combination of colistin and rifampicin was tested. The other two isolates showed indifferent/additive results. All the other combinations showed indifferent/additive results for all isolates except isolate 30 (col + tob) and isolate 25 (rif + tob) which showed synergism. No antagonistic results were observed by the checkerboard method. When the results obtained with the E-test and checkerboard methods were compared, it was noted that for most antibiotic combinations an indifferent/additive result was obtained. However, for the colistin + rifampicin combination, the checkerboard method showed synergism for 4 of 6 isolates, whereas the E-test method showed indifference and an additive result in one. For the rifampicin + tobramycin, and colistin + tobramycin combinations, synergism was also shown with the checkerboard method in one isolate for each combination. The E-test method however showed an indifferent and additive result respectively. . The E-test method was found to be a rapid, reproducible, easy-to-perform, and flexible method to determine synergistic antibiotic activity. This study was however limited by low numbers of isolates. This might explain why no synergistic results were obtained with the E-test method and few synergistic results with the checkerboard method. Genotypic analysis using pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) may be considered in future studies to determine relatedness of the isolates which will facilitate the selection of different strains for synergy testing. Furthermore, clinical studies are needed to establish whether in vitro synergy testing is useful in the clinical setting and whether the results of synergy testing will have any bearing on the clinical outcome of patients infected with multidrug resistant A. baumannii. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Acinetobacter baumannii het wêreldwyd as een van die mees problematiese nosokomiale patogene verskyn. Hierdie organisme veroorsaak infeksies wat dikwels baie moeilik is om te behandel weens wydverspreide weerstandigheid teen major antibiotikagroepe. Kolonisasie of infeksie met multi-weerstandige A. baumannii word geassosieer met die volgende riskofaktore: verlengde hospitaalverblyf, toelating tot ‘n intensiewe sorgeenheid (ICU), meganiese ventilasie, blootstelling aan breëspektrum antibiotika, onlangse chirurgie, indringende prosedures en ernstige onderliggende siekte. A. baumannii kan deel vorm van die normale velflora, veral in die axillae, inguinale area en tussen die tone. Dit is ook al vanuit die mondholte en die respiratoriese traktus van gesonde volwassenes geïsoleer. Verswakte gehospitaliseerde pasiënte word veral gekoloniseer gedurende nosokomiale Acinetobacter uitbrake. Hierdie organisme is ‘n opportunistiese patogeen en bevat min virulensie faktore. Kliniese manifestasies van A. baumannii sluit nosokomiale pneumonie, nosokomiale bloedstroom infeksies, troumatiese slagveld- en ander wondinfeksies, urienweginfeksies en meningitis wat volg op neurologiese chirurgie in. Fulminerende gemeenskapsverworwe pneumonie is onlangs beskryf en dui aan dat hierdie organisme hoogs patogenies kan wees. Die aantal multi-weerstandige A. baumannii stamme het wêreldwyd toegeneem oor die laaste paar jare. Daarom is die seleksie van empiriese antibiotiese behandeling ‘n uitdaging. Antibiotika kombinasies word meestal as empiriese behandeling in ernstige siek pasiënte gebruik. Die beginsel hiervan is om sinergistiese werking tussen agente te verkry. Die “checkerboard” en “time-kill” metodes is twee tradisionele metodes van sinergisme toetsing. Hierdie metodes is werksintensief, duur en tydrowend. Die E-toets sinergisme metode is gebaseer op die E-toets metode. Hierdie metode is maklik, buigbaar en tydseffektief. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die in vitro aktiwiteit tussen verskillende antibiotika kombinasies van colistin, rifampisien, imipenem, en tobramisien teen geselekteerde kliniese A. baumannii isolate te toets met die “checkerboard” en E-toets sinergisme toetsing metodes. Die minimum inhibitoriese konsentrasies (MIKs) verkry met die E-toets en “broth microdilution” metode is ook vergelyk. Die resultate van die skyfie diffusie metode (die metode wat in die roetiene mikrobiologie laboratorium gebruik word) vir imipenem en tobramisien word ook verskaf vir vergelyking van die resultate van verskillende sensitiwiteitsmetodes. In oorsig is goeie herhaalbaarheid van resultate verkry met al drie metodes van sensitiwiteitstoetsing. Die ooreenstemming van MIKs tussen die “broth dilution” en E-toets metodes was goed en resultate het met nie meer as twee verdunnings in MIK waardes verskil nie. Daar is een uitsondering waar die rifampisien E-toets MIK waarde met drie verdunnings van die MIK waarde verkry met die “microdilution” metode verskil. Die ooreenstemming tussen die sensitiwiteitskategorie resultate tussen die twee metodes was egter swak vir rifampisien. Alhoewel die MIKs in die meeste gevalle met nie meer as twee verdunnings in waarde verskil het nie, was daar baie major foute aangetoon omdat die MIKs rondom die breekpunte geval het. Die kombinasies van colistin + rifampisien, colistin + imipenem, colistin + tobramisien, rifampisien + tobramisien, en imipenem + tobramisien het oorwegend slegs matige interaksie met die E-toets metode getoon. Geen sinergisme is verkry met enige van die antibiotika kombinasies met hierdie metode nie. Daar was egter een resultaat wat antagonisme getoon het vir die kombinasie van colistin + tobramycin. Die resultate van die “checkerboard” metode het sinergisme getoon in vier van die ses isolate wat vir die kombinasie van colistin en rifampisien getoets was. Die ander twee isolate het slegs matige interaksie getoon. Al die ander kombinasies het ook slegs matige interaksie getoon, behalwe in isolaat 30 (col + tob) en isolaat 25 (rif + tob) waar die spesifieke kombinasies sinergisme getoon het. Geen antagonisme is waargeneem met die “checkerboard” metode nie. Met vergelyking van die E-toets en “checkerboard” metodes, is dit opmerklik dat vir die meeste van die antibiotika kombinasies slegs matige interaksie verkry is. Vir die colistin + rifampisien kombinasie toon die “checkerboard” metode egter sinergisme vir 4 uit 6 isolate, terwyl die E-toets metode slegs matige interaksie toon. Vir rifampisien + tobramisien, en colistin + tobramisien kombinasies is sinergisme getoon met die “checkerboard” metode in een isolaat vir elke kombinasie. Die E-toets metode het slegs matige interaksie getoon. Die E-toets sinergisme metode was vinnig, herhaalbaar en maklik om uit te voer. Hierdie studie word egter beperk deur lae getalle van isolate. Dit mag verklaar waarom geen sinergistiese resultate met die E-toets metode verkry is nie en die min sinergistiese resultate met die “checkerboard” metode. Genotipiese analiese met “pulse-field gel electrophoresis” mag in aanmerking geneem word in toekomstige studies om die verwantskap tussen isolate te bepaal wat die seleksie van verskillende stamme vir sinergisme toetsing sal vergemaklik. Verder, kliniese studies is nodig om te bepaal of in vitro sinergisme toetsing van waarde is en of die resultate van sinergisme toetsing ‘n rol speel in die kliniese uitkoms van pasënte geïnfekteer met multiweerstandige A. baumannii. / The National Health Laboratory Serivice

O ambiente hospitalar é um local que requer cuidados especiais. No caso de reformas e até mesmo construções um cuidado maior é necessário, já que demolições, lixamentos e outros tipos de intervenções podem gerar aerossóis. Nos aerossóis estão presentes fungos que ao serem inalados por pacientes imunocomprometidos ou transplantados apresentam grande probabilidade de provocar infecções graves, que em muitos casos são letais. Face ao exposto, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo caracterizar a ocorrência de fungos em argamassas de revestimento no ambiente hospitalar. A pesquisa foi realizada em paredes de alvenaria do Hospital de Clínicas, da Universidade Federal do Paraná, de onde foram extraídas amostras da região da superfície, da argamassa e do bloco cerâmico. As amostras foram semeadas em placas de Petri e RODAC® contendo Ágar Sabouraud Dextrose e incubadas a 25oC durante sete dias. Após esse período o crescimento de fungos nas placas foi analisado. A variação da temperatura e umidade foi monitorada por meio de sistema remoto e manual. A argamassa dos ambientes avaliados teve seus valores de resistência à tração e teor de umidade determinados. Das 150 amostras coletadas 39% apresentaram crescimento positivo com a seguinte distribuição de fungos: Aspergillus (presente em 28% das amostras), Absidia (21%), Cladosporium (18%), Rhizopus (10%), Rhodotorulla (8%), Fusarium (6%), Penicillium (3%), A. flavus, demais fungos e outros fungos filamentosos (2%) cada. Nos substratos do interior das paredes pesquisadas foram identificadas três espécies diferentes de Aspergillus: A. flavus, A. fumigatus e A.niger. Todas as espécies de Aspergillus encontradas podem causar aspergilose invasiva e, por isso, oferecem sérios riscos à saúde de pacientes imunocomprometidos. Em uma das paredes avaliadas o teor de umidade encontrado foi igual a 12% e a resistência à tração foi nula. O estudo evidenciou a presença de fungos oportunistas, tais como Aspergillus e Fusarium, tanto nas amostras de argamassa quanto nas de bloco cerâmico retiradas do interior das paredes dos ambientes pesquisados. / The hospital is a place that requires special care. In terms of reforms and even buildings, this site requires even greater care since, demolition, sanding and other types of interventions can generate aerosols. In aerosols, commonly called dust, fungi are present is high the probability of the fungi be aspirated by immunocompromised patients in a hospital. This microorganisms can germinate and cause severe infections and lethal in many cases. The present work has as its object to identify and characterize the occurrence of fungi in mortar coating in the hospital environment. The survey was conducted in masonry walls of the Clinics Hospital, Federal University of Paraná, in which were extracted samples of the surface, of the mortar and of the ceramic block. Samples were plated on Petri plates containing Sabouraud Dextrose Agar, incubated at 25 ° C for seven days, and after this period was analyzed fungal growth. The environments had their temperature and humidity monitored by a remote and manual system during one year. The mortar coating these environments was also investigated with respect to tensile strength and moisture content. Of the samples collected 39% showed growth of colonies with the following distribution of microorganisms: Aspergillus (28% of the samples), Absidia (21%), Cladosporium (18%), Rhizopus (10%), Rhodotorulla (8%), Fusarium (6%), Penicillium (2%), A. flavus, other genera and other filamentous fungi (2%). Within the substrate researched were identified three different species of Aspergillus: A. A.flavus, A.fumigatus and A.niger. All species of Aspergillus found cause invasive aspergillosis and therefore offer a serious risk to immunocompromised patients. In one of the walls evaluated the moisture content was equal 12% and the tensile strength was zero. The study revealed the presence of opportunistic fungi such as Aspergillus, Fusarium, among others, in the mortar and in the ceramic block inside the wall of the environments studied.

O ambiente hospitalar é um local que requer cuidados especiais. No caso de reformas e até mesmo construções um cuidado maior é necessário, já que demolições, lixamentos e outros tipos de intervenções podem gerar aerossóis. Nos aerossóis estão presentes fungos que ao serem inalados por pacientes imunocomprometidos ou transplantados apresentam grande probabilidade de provocar infecções graves, que em muitos casos são letais. Face ao exposto, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo caracterizar a ocorrência de fungos em argamassas de revestimento no ambiente hospitalar. A pesquisa foi realizada em paredes de alvenaria do Hospital de Clínicas, da Universidade Federal do Paraná, de onde foram extraídas amostras da região da superfície, da argamassa e do bloco cerâmico. As amostras foram semeadas em placas de Petri e RODAC® contendo Ágar Sabouraud Dextrose e incubadas a 25oC durante sete dias. Após esse período o crescimento de fungos nas placas foi analisado. A variação da temperatura e umidade foi monitorada por meio de sistema remoto e manual. A argamassa dos ambientes avaliados teve seus valores de resistência à tração e teor de umidade determinados. Das 150 amostras coletadas 39% apresentaram crescimento positivo com a seguinte distribuição de fungos: Aspergillus (presente em 28% das amostras), Absidia (21%), Cladosporium (18%), Rhizopus (10%), Rhodotorulla (8%), Fusarium (6%), Penicillium (3%), A. flavus, demais fungos e outros fungos filamentosos (2%) cada. Nos substratos do interior das paredes pesquisadas foram identificadas três espécies diferentes de Aspergillus: A. flavus, A. fumigatus e A.niger. Todas as espécies de Aspergillus encontradas podem causar aspergilose invasiva e, por isso, oferecem sérios riscos à saúde de pacientes imunocomprometidos. Em uma das paredes avaliadas o teor de umidade encontrado foi igual a 12% e a resistência à tração foi nula. O estudo evidenciou a presença de fungos oportunistas, tais como Aspergillus e Fusarium, tanto nas amostras de argamassa quanto nas de bloco cerâmico retiradas do interior das paredes dos ambientes pesquisados. / The hospital is a place that requires special care. In terms of reforms and even buildings, this site requires even greater care since, demolition, sanding and other types of interventions can generate aerosols. In aerosols, commonly called dust, fungi are present is high the probability of the fungi be aspirated by immunocompromised patients in a hospital. This microorganisms can germinate and cause severe infections and lethal in many cases. The present work has as its object to identify and characterize the occurrence of fungi in mortar coating in the hospital environment. The survey was conducted in masonry walls of the Clinics Hospital, Federal University of Paraná, in which were extracted samples of the surface, of the mortar and of the ceramic block. Samples were plated on Petri plates containing Sabouraud Dextrose Agar, incubated at 25 ° C for seven days, and after this period was analyzed fungal growth. The environments had their temperature and humidity monitored by a remote and manual system during one year. The mortar coating these environments was also investigated with respect to tensile strength and moisture content. Of the samples collected 39% showed growth of colonies with the following distribution of microorganisms: Aspergillus (28% of the samples), Absidia (21%), Cladosporium (18%), Rhizopus (10%), Rhodotorulla (8%), Fusarium (6%), Penicillium (2%), A. flavus, other genera and other filamentous fungi (2%). Within the substrate researched were identified three different species of Aspergillus: A. A.flavus, A.fumigatus and A.niger. All species of Aspergillus found cause invasive aspergillosis and therefore offer a serious risk to immunocompromised patients. In one of the walls evaluated the moisture content was equal 12% and the tensile strength was zero. The study revealed the presence of opportunistic fungi such as Aspergillus, Fusarium, among others, in the mortar and in the ceramic block inside the wall of the environments studied.

Introduction: Despite being one of the most preventable diseases, TB still remains a serious and largely neglected disease. Nurses as compared to the general population are at greater risk of acquiring nosocomial TB. This study was conducted to describe the perceptions of nurses on the underlying contributory factors that may lead to the spread of TB in the clinics treating TB patients. Methods: Quantitative, non – experimental, descriptive, exploratory and cross sectional design was used. A structured and pretested questionnaire was used. Findings: The key contributory factors identified were insufficient TB training for staff and lack of knowledge on the TB legislative framework and TB policy directives. Conclusion: The findings indicate the need for a comprehensive TB infection prevention and control policy, with associated standards for provision and practice. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)