Needle-Stick Injury

Accidental occupational injuries to health care workers continue to have a significant problem in healthcare systems owing to the associated risk of acquiring infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency viruses. The worldwide incidence of percutaneous injury with a sharp object among the HCWs is estimated to be 3 million every year where a chance of four injuries per healthcare worker could occur annually. Exposure to unsafe blood as a consequence of the injury may have a risk of infections to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV). An exposure to such unsafe blood contacts in work places can add up to a considerable percent of infections occurring among HCWs. For example, according to the World Health Organization estimation, the global burden of disease from occupational exposure accounted 40% and 2.5% for hepatitis and HIV infections, respectively. Whereas the prevalence of some infections in HCWs depends on the disease prevalence in the general population, few reports showed a relatively higher sero-positivity for HBV among the healthcare workers in the health facilities. High prevalence of needle stick injury among health professionals in Ethiopia. Such occupational injury leading to workers dissatisfaction and psychological trauma may reduce workers motivation and in turn may affect the quality of health care.

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Last date updated on April, 2024