Implementation status of national tuberculosis infection control guidelines in Bangladeshi hospitals

PLoS One. 2021 Feb 16;16(2):e0246923. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246923. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

In response to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation to reduce healthcare workers' (HCWs') exposure to tuberculosis (TB) in health settings, congregate settings, and households, the national TB control program of Bangladesh developed guidelines for TB infection prevention and control (IPC) in 2011. This study aimed to assess the implementation of the TB IPC healthcare measures in health settings in Bangladesh. Between February and June 2018, we conducted a mixed-method study at 11 health settings. The team conducted 59 key-informant interviews with HCWs to understand the status of and barriers impeding the implementation of the TB IPC guidelines. The team also performed a facility assessment survey and examined TB IPC practices. Most HCWs were unaware of the national TB IPC guidelines. There were no TB IPC plans or committees at the health settings. Further, a presumptive pulmonary TB patient triage checklist was absent in all health settings. However, during facility assessment, we observed patient triaging and separation in the TB specialty hospitals. Routine cough-etiquette advice was provided to the TB patients mentioned during the key-informant interviews, which was consistent with findings from the survey. This study identified poor implementation of TB IPC measures in health settings. Limited knowledge of the guidelines resulted in poor implementation of the recommendations. Interventions focusing on the dissemination of the TB IPC guidelines to HCWs along with regular training may improve compliance. Such initiatives should be taken by hospital senior leadership as well as national policy makers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bangladesh
  • Cross Infection / prevention & control
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Hospitals / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Infection Control*
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic*
  • Tuberculosis / prevention & control*

Grants and funding

Md. Saiful Islam, senior author of this manuscript received the grant from USAID. The grant number was AID- 388-A-17-00006. This research activity was made possible by the generous support of the american people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).Funding source website: https://www.usaid.gov/bangladesh. icddr,b acknowledges with gratitude the commitment of the USAID to its research efforts. The funding source had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.