MRSA Action UK press release for World MRSA Day 2nd October 2009
Friday, 2 October 2009 12:00 AM
On October 2nd 1961 MRSA was viewed for the first time under a microscope in laboratories at Colindale, London. The first outbreak followed in 1962 in a Surrey hospital, and it was not long before MRSA was seen around the world. Healthcare professionals have battled to try to contain the spread of MRSA ever since. MRSA Action UK is joining Jeanine Thomas, the leading patient advocate in the USA who founded MRSA Survivors Network and is holding the first World MRSA Day event on 2nd October 2009.
Although the UK has the unique distinction of seeing the first ever MRSA bacterium, and a poor past record in letting it get to the levels we saw in 2004, the fight back has begun in earnest with the mandatory reporting of MRSA bloodstream and surgical site infections in our hospitals. MRSA Action UK is heartened to see the significant reductions in MRSA infections since the targets were announced in November 2004. Programmes such as Saving Lives and Essential Steps were brought in to halt the rise in the numbers of people dying and suffering from MRSA thanks to the dedication and hard work of staff in our NHS.
There is still a long way to go, and it must be remembered that the downward trend in the numbers of bloodstream infections account for only a tiny proportion of infections, and that the lion's share of reductions has been achieved in only 25% of hospital trusts, we must not be misled by the aggregate figures that the Government is so proud of.
The objective of World MRSA Day is to raise awareness of this bacterium and the devastating effects of not taking control and doing everything we can to prevent suffering and deaths from what is often avoidable, not just here but around the world. Some countries have managed to keep this bacterium at bay with strict isolation of anyone who is found to be carrying the bacteria, and with judicious antibiotic prescribing. Other countries, including the UK still see significant numbers of MRSA infections.
Everyone who is fighting to reduce these infections, including NHS staff, regulators and patient groups all agree a joined up approach is needed. MRSA Action UK and Jeanine Thomas from MRSA Survivors Network now believe there has to be a joint approach from governments around the world. We hope World MRSA Day will act as a catalyst to this happening. It is only by working together that we can defeat avoidable healthcare infections in all medical facilities, and we hope that medical staff like those in Bedford Hospital will play their part on October 2nd to raise awareness throughout the month of October and beyond.
Our elected representatives and Governments have a moral obligation to work together to build on the work that has taken place over the last few years in the UK, and invest to save lives globally.
Derek Butler
Chair
MRSA Action UK
Registered Charity No 1115672
Tel No 07762 741114
-
Tags:
Newsletter sign up