Medical workers have reported a significant decline in cases of hospital-acquired infections following the introduction of on-site chlorine generators by the Ministry of Health and in partners.
Chlorine is used for surface disinfection in health facilities.
In a new report by the Ministry and PATH, a nonprofit global health organisation, there was more than a 50 percent reduction in germ load on hospital surfaces following the introduction of the chlorine generator.
‘Assessment of microbial contamination on high-touch surfaces revealed that health facilities using STREAM devices saw a 56% reduction in microbial load compared to 28% reductions in control sites using standard chlorine for disinfection,’ the report reads.
‘Furthermore, surfaces cleaned with STREAM chlorine were found to meet international cleanliness thresholds (ATP – Adenosine Triphosphate, less than 50) in 93% of samples, compared to 87% for commercial chlorine, 40% for Alcohol-Based Hand Rub,’ the report reads further.
Explaining the reality on the ground, Dr Emmanuel Amalai of the Kampala-based Kisenyi Health IV, said before the introduction of the device, they struggled with frequent stock-outs of disinfectants.
‘Since the introduction of the STREAM device, we can produce 0.5% ready-to-use chlorine using the two machines that we got, producing 40 to 80 litres of chlorine from each machine daily, which was a significant increase,’ he said.
‘Previously, our workers could use normal soap for cleaning, which would not give the desired results. Currently, Jik produced using this machine is used 24-7 in all units of the facility.”
Dr Amalai said as a result, there is a notable reduction in patients acquiring infections from their facility. ‘Between November last year and February this year, I used to visit the postnatal ward and every time they are discharging a post-operative patient, you find this one who has developed sepsis,’ he explained.
‘But from around May this year, since they introduced the machine to date, I have never seen any mother reporting sepsis because they are using the disinfectants as much as possible. Previously, they would ask mothers to come with Jik, but today it is not required, and so mothers are very happy,’ he added.
His experience is not very different from that of Dr Godfrey Kisembo from Kiryandongo Hospital. He said he is also seeing declines in hospital-acquired infections, better scent when compared to the commercial Jik they were using before.
‘Many times when I go to the theatre where this Jik from the STREAM device is being utilised, you feel the difference -the environment is smelling good, and it’s not smelling Jik. This is very easy to sustain. Salt (the main ingredient used by the device) is very cheap, so I wouldn’t wish to see a facility saying they can’t afford the salt,’ he added.
According to the report, the use of the device was found to ‘generate an average of 64-83% in cost savings in operational costs for health centres and district hospitals.’
How device works
Ms Robinah Ajok, the programme officer under the stream chlorination project at PATH Uganda, explained that apart from salt, water and the device, the power source is needed to generate the disinfectant.
‘This salt is mixed with water. If you want to generate 20 litres of the hypochlorite solution for disinfection, all you need to do is 300g of salt (a third of a kilogram), and then mix with 20 litres of water to make a salt solution,’ she said. Sodium hypochlorite is the active ingredient in most household bleaches, and it kills germs even at very low concentrations and is excellent at removing stains and unpleasant odours