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WHO Releases New Syringe Safety Policy to Prevent Disease

UNITED NATIONS, Feb 26 2015 (IPS) - The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released a new policy on safe practices around syringe use, saying 90 percent of injections worldwide are unnecessary.

The WHO has recommended the use of ‘smart syringes,’ to reduce the number of infections from used syringes.

“The surest way to protect against unsafe injections is to use devices for injections that have been engineered so they cannot be reused and don’t lead to accidental needle stick injuries among health workers,” the organisation said in a report released Monday.

Syringes that disable if attempted to be used twice, and models where a cover slides over the needle after injection, have been put forward by the WHO as ways to reduce diseases caused by used syringes.

The WHO has urged all countries to begin use of the new ‘smart syringes’ by 2020.

“Syringes without safety features cost US$ 0.03 to 0.04 when procured by a UN agency for a developing country. The new “smart” syringes cost at least twice that much,” the report claims.

“WHO is calling on donors to support the transition to these devices, anticipating that prices will decline over time as demand increases.

A 2014 WHO report stated that in 2010, unsafe injections saw 34,000 people infected with HIV, 1.7million infected with Hepatitis B and 315,000 with Hepatitis C.

A lack of funds, equipment or both are often behind the reusing of needles in poorer parts of the world.

“Adoption of safety-engineered syringes is absolutely critical to protecting people worldwide from becoming infected with HIV, hepatitis and other diseases. This should be an urgent priority for all countries,” says Dr Gottfried Hirnschall, Director of the WHO’s HIV/AIDS Department.

The report also said accidental infection rates could be even further lowered through the elimination of unnecessary injections. The WHO claims up to 90 percent of the 16 billion injections administered around the world each year could be avoided altogether, or replaced with an oral pill.

“WHO urges reduction in the number of unnecessary injections as an urgent and critical strategy for reducing transmission of viral infections,” the report said.

Much progress has been made in the campaign for syringe safety. In terms of infections from unsafe injections, the WHO reports a 91 percent reduction in Hepatitis C infections; an 87 percent reduction in HIV infections; and an 83 percent reduction in Hepatitis B infections. Reuse of injection equipment dropped 86 percent in the same period.

The WHO has urged donors and development partners to only fund the purchase of “safety engineered” syringes, as well as further equipment to encourage needles to only be used once, and for manufacturers to ramp up production of safer syringes.

 
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