INJECTION SAFTY PRACTICES AMONG DENTAL PROFESSIONALS WORKERS IN THE DENTAL CLINIC
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
The safety of injection is an important issue in today’s healthcare where injectable medications
and vaccines are commonly used. Coupled with this is the high burden of blood-borne pathogens
with potential of transmission through accidental exposure to contaminated needles and syringes
(Costa,and Hlll., 2018). Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that billions
of injections are administered every year within healthcare settings. These injections according to
the WHO are commonly used for curative purposes most of which are unnecessary and avoidable.
Inappropriate injections can lead to avoidable harm particularly in developing countries where
safety resources and practices cannot always be guaranteed. A recent estimate of the burden of
blood-borne infections due to unsafe injection practices revealed that up to 46% of hepatitis B,
38% of hepatitis C and 12% of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections are associated
with unsafe injections (WHO 2020).
Furthermore, unsafe injection practices can fuel the transmission of other emerging and
reemerging infectious diseases such as the Ebola virus disease (Spencer and Joseph, 2019).
Modelling using the fraction of unsafe injection-associated blood-borne viral infections estimated
a burden of 18 million preventable disability-adjusted life years from 2000 to 2030 (WHO 2020).
According to the WHO’s Safe Injection Global Network (SIGN), a safe injection is one that does
not harm the recipient does not expose the provider (HCWs) to any avoidable risks and does not
result in waste that is dangerous to the community (WHO 2022).
Hence, safe injection practice involves the administration of rational injection by a qualified and
well-trained person using a sterile device right technique, proper disposal and management of the
wastes generated.
The SIGN was launched by the WHO as an alliance of global stakeholders to support and ensure
the safe, logical and proper use of injections worldwide.
One of the strategies to achieve the goal of this coalition as highlighted by SIGN is the behaviour
change of healthcare workers. The healthcare workers are those individuals who deliver health
services such as injection to the sick either directly as nurses and physicians or indirectly as
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