MERS-Cov Awareness Workshop: alfarsi.me Supports Ministry of Health Initiative
7th March 2019, Muscat, Oman
Oman based, alfarsi.me, a leading infection control and prevention provider has collaborated with Directorate General of Private Health Establishments, Ministry of Health in conducting an awareness workshop on MERS-Cov (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome).
Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, or MERS‐CoV) that was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012. So far in 2019, ten cases have been detected in Oman with four deaths being reported.
The workshop was aimed at refreshing the infection control protocols in hospitals and improve outbreak preparedness at private health establishments.
The workshop was attended by 60 participants from all major private hospitals in the country. Attendees consisted of heads of quality and infection prevention and control personnel from respective hospitals.
The speakers at event included Dr.Munira – Director of Department of Quality and Patient Safety, Dr. Salah Al Awady – Communicable Diseases Advisor, Office of the Undersecretary of Health Affairs, Mrs. Salha Jaffer – Head of Infection Control Unit, DGPHE, Mr. Saju George, Managing Director – alfarsi.me and Mr. Faiyaz Nadaf, Key Account Leader, 3M.
The topics covered during the workshop included Epidemiology of MERS-CoV, Infection Prevention and Control measures for controlling outbreak of MERS-CoV, Automated Area Decontamination and the use of N95 respirators. The workshop also included hands on training on the correct method for putting on and safe removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), usage of automated area decontamination/fumigation/fogging using H2O2 and N95 respirator and qualitative fit-test demonstration.
The workshop also included an exhibition of infection prevention and control products including hand-hygiene, surface disinfection, instrument disinfection, sterilisation monitoring, chemical indicators, biological indicators, biological incubators, Autoclaves, CSSD consumables, spill kits, area decontamination and air disinfection.