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A Professor of Medical Microbiology and Immunology in the Faculty of Medicine of University of King Khalid, Dr. Nariman Mohammed Nashar has called for the need to limit the use of needles and sharp tools as much as possible. This is for the importance of using safe medical instruments that reduce the incidence of acupuncture, as the acupuncture injuries and sharp tools, are part of the most important threats to medical personnel - including doctors, dentists, and nursing staff. Dr. Al-Nashar stressed that the World Health Organization has shown that more than 35 million medical care providers in the world are exposed to the risk of acupuncture and sharp instruments- ranging from 25 to 70%. She added, "Admittedly, all the people who use those sharp tools in their jobs are at risk, but there are other categories who are more susceptible to these injuries such as nursing staff and the students of the Faculty of Medicine. The infection rate in the nursing staff reaches more than 60% while up to 50% could be reached in the students of Faculties of Medicine".
The Professor noted that the seriousness of the injuries of acupuncture comes from causing the transfer of more than 20 microbe of the microbes that are transmitted from the blood of the patient to the medical service providers. The most important three serious and deadly diseases that are transmitted through the blood are Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Hepatitis virus (B) and Hepatitis virus (HCV). Al-Nashar added, "By the grace of God, these serious injuries can be avoided, and prevented by applying proper health procedures, including reducing the use of needles and sharp tools whenever possible. Instead, those who are susceptible have to use secure way to reduce the incidence of acupuncture." She added, "Doctors and nurses must get proper education and training on safe practices in the provision of medical services, with the need to avoid erroneous and dangerous medical practices such as recapping needles and not getting rid of them properly." She also indicated that every medical service provider should be vaccinated with the protective vaccine of the hepatitis virus type (B). Plus adding infection control programs on how to prevent the use of acupuncture in courses and training for the students of the Faculties of medicine, dentistry, and nursing. Also, the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Organization of Health and occupational safety in hospitals should be put into consideration. There must be training programs on ways to treat the acupuncture and sharp tools injury for each medical service providers".
According to the treatment of these injuries, the professor made it clear, insisting on washing the place of injury with hot water, then disinfecting the wound and covering it. The Professor stressed on the necessity to inform hospital and sectional heads, in order to make report on the injury, then the infected person should see a doctor, so as to make blood examination for each of the patient and the infected to determine the severity of injury and determine the necessary treatment to the injured.
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