Rate of Healthcare-associated Infections in Healthcare Facilities

Mr Ong Hua Han asked the Minister for Health (a) in each year of the past five years, what is the rate of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in healthcare facilities; (b) what has the Ministry done to reduce the rate of HAIs; (c) what are the Ministry’s targets for managing HAIs; and (d) whether the Ministry will consider publishing data reports on HAIs every few years to track progress and target weak areas.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) tracks healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in acute Public Healthcare Institutions for (a) device-associated infections and (b) various multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) in the Intensive Care (ICU) setting. These are the most common sources of HAIs.

In the ICU setting, the rates for hospital-associated urinary tract infections and central line infections are 3.56 and 2.15 per 1,000 device-days respectively in 2019, and 2.80 and 1.51 per 1,000 device-days respectively in 2023. For ventilator-associated infections, the infection rates are 8.23 in 2019 and 11.70 in 2023.

For MDROs, the prevalence rates for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus are 0.54 per 10,000 patient-days in 2021, and 0.35 per 10,000 patient-days in 2023. In the same period, the prevalence rates for Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are 0.45 and 0.91 respectively. This rise in Carbapenemase-producing CRE (CP-CRE) prevalence is similar to what has been observed globally and related to antibiotic usage practice in the hospitals.

MOH aims to bring down HAIs to as low as possible. Ultimately, there needs to be a strong culture of vigilance, embedded within care protocols and clinical practice. A Technical Advisory Group on CP-CRE has been convened to recommend further targeted actions to reduce Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae infections within the next three years.