Unsterilized injection practices have been a longstanding problem in India and other developing nations for several decades now. Such practices put healthcare workers, patients, and the community at large at risk of contracting blood-borne illnesses. Shockingly, a recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) revealed that unsafe injection practices for five years were primarily responsible for a surge in HIV infections in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh in 2017-18.
Auto-disable syringes – a type of syringe in which the plunger is automatically immobilized following injection – are widely held to be an effective preventive to stop the transmission of blood-borne pathogens. Different types of auto-disable syringes were first developed in response to a request from the WHO (World Health Organization) as far back as 1986. Today, the WHO and its partners – UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) and UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) – strongly recommend the use of this type of syringe in mass immunization programmes all over the world.
The Importance of Protecting Healthcare Workers
Recognized by the WHO as “the most valuable resource for health”, healthcare workers provide care and services to the ailing as doctors, nurses, helpers, and aides. The safety of these healthcare workers, who are routinely exposed to blood in the course of their work, is gravely underestimated component of the response to the scourge of unsafe injection practices. Here, it must be noted that healthcare workers must be trained to take the risks to themselves seriously in order that they take the risks to their patients seriously. Other than the obvious fact that fewer healthcare workers will fall ill, the benefits of protecting healthcare workers from occupational infection are as follows:
- Ensuring best injection practices for healthcare workers is a critical step towards achieving patient safety.
- Well-informed healthcare workers can take the initiative in leading community education with regard to safe injection practices.
- If healthcare workers feel protected from the occupational hazards of contracting blood-borne viruses – such as HIV – they are less likely to display discriminatory behaviour against infected patients. Research has shown that discrimination against HIV/AIDS-infected persons can have a range of negative repercussions for the community in general and individual in particular.
Why Auto-Disable Syringes are a Boon
While there have been various approaches to promoting injection safety, the widespread use of Auto-Disable or AD Syinges has been the most recommended. Since the AD syringe cannot be used more than once, it prevents transmission of blood-borne pathogens. It also has the advantage of being dose-specific which ensures the correct dosage required in immunization.
While using Auto-Disable Syringes, healthcare workers can rest assured that this type of syringe meets all the requirements for quality and safety. It has the following advantages from the point of view of healthcare workers:
- AD Syringes cannot be re-used. This safety feature not only protects the recipient of injections, but also the healthcare worker administering them.
- Infection caused by accidental needle-stick injuries is a very serious health hazard, and healthcare providers who routinely come into contact with needles and sharps are especially vulnerable to it. In keeping with the WHO guidelines on safety-engineered syringes – published in 2015 – most AD syringes are nowadays are equipped with “sharps injury protection” features.
- Or they can be attained to a safety needle.
- Auto-disable syringes are fairly easy to use and administer, making sure that even healthcare workers at primary health centres in rural areas are able to utilize them correctly.
In an industry rife with occupational risks – chemical exposures, biological hazards, and psychological challenges among others – Auto-Disable Syringes undeniably bring a rare measure of relief to healthcare professionals whose health concerns are unfortunately not prioritized.
It must be noted that the Auto-Disable Syringe has been recommended by the WHO both for collecting blood samples of COVID-19 patients and administering the vaccine for the pandemic. As vaccination drives unfold the world over, it is heartening to learn that this Auto Disable syringe is playing a crucial role in both combating the virus and protecting millions of healthcare staff.