News Release                             For Immediate Release

                                                                                                                      October 4, 2006

Infection Prevention: Planning for Tomorrow

National Infection Control Week, October 16 to 20, 2006

Protecting people from infection and saving health care dollars is what we do!

"Infection prevention has never been more critical," says Karen Hope, President of the Community and Hospital Infection Control Association of Canada (CHICA-Canada). She points to the importance of infection control in light of the emergence of avian influenza and new diseases like SARS. It is estimated that 220,000 health care associated infections, including 8,000 deaths, occur in Canada every year. Infections with antibiotic resistant bacteria in health care facilities add between 42 and 59 million dollars each year to health-care costs. Recent events at the Grey Bruce Health Services highlight the importance of infection control.

CHICA is a national, multi-disciplinary, voluntary association of Infection Control Professionals with 19 chapters across the country including locally Huronia Practitioners of Infection Control (HUPIC). Members promote excellence in the practice of infection prevention and control. They play a critical role in safeguarding the health of patients in hospitals, residents in long-term care facilities, children in daycares, students in schools and people in the community. They are involved in activities from collecting data on infections in hospitals to providing advice to prevent infections in doctors’ offices, childcare centres and schools.

This year Huronia Practitioners of Infection Control will host an education day, entitled Infection Control is Everyone's Business.  The event will be held on Thursday, October 19, 2006 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at The Village Senior's Community, Valley View Terrace Recreation Room, 101 10th Street, Hanover. The education day will be of interest to primary care and health care providers, housekeeping support workers and paramedics. Experts will present a variety of educational sessions.

Visit CHICA-Canada's web site www.chica.org for more on infection prevention and control.  For further information call Public Health at 519-376-9420 or visit our web site at www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca.

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For more information:

Carrie Haines

Public Health Nurse, Infection Control

Grey Bruce Health Unit

519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456 ext. 284