Thank you to all the industry leaders who attended the Infection Prevention Network’s (IPN) Executive Roundtable at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, on the sidelines of the ACIPC International Conference.

Infeciton Prevention Network Executive Roundtable at ACIPC Conference

The 18-24th of November marks the World Health Organization’s “World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week”. This year's theme is: “Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance Together”. Antimicrobial resistance is, in many ways, a “silent pandemic”, and awareness is a vital step in being prepared.

The Infection Prevention Network congratulates the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare on the release of their annual Anti-microbial Use and Resistance in Australia (AURA) report.

Antimicrobial resistance is when microbes evolve to become resistant to antibiotic medication that previously was an effective treatment. This renders antibiotics obsolete. An inability to treat bacterial and fungal infections has vast implications for healthcare, making even the most trivial surgeries and treatments a danger due to the risk of an untreatable infection.

The third week of October marks International Infection Prevention Week. This year's theme is “Celebrating the Fundamentals of Infection Prevention”, emphasising the everyday contributions of Australians to prevent infection.

International Infection Prevention Week is a timely reminder to thank the hundreds of thousands of health and aged care workers who are on the frontlines combatting infectious diseases.

Effective infection prevention requires accurate and timely data collection and analysis. Infection rates and trends can help to identify areas of improvement and support the development of evidence-based infection prevention programs. The collection of comprehensive data is essential to identify gaps in infection prevention practices, monitor the effectiveness of interventions, and guide decision-making.

Winter is coming, and with it comes the yearly surge of seasonal flu, COVID-19, and other pathogens. As businesses prepare for the winter months, it is crucial to have an infection prevention plan in place to protect employees, customers, and the community. This plan should include measures to prevent the spread of disease, minimise its impact, and ensure business continuity in the event of an outbreak.

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week is marked on the 18th-24th of November each year. The theme of this year's World Antimicrobial Awareness Week is "Preventing antimicrobial resistance together", emphasising the importance of different industries working together to prevent antimicrobial resistance.

While most people are generally happy to be treated outside of hospitals, there is growing concern about the need to better educate out-patients on infection prevention and control.

It has been over 100 years since Spanish Flu last tested our global pandemic response. COVID-19 has exposed cracks in our society’s infection prevention strategies. 

International flights have begun to take off in Australia and cruising is looking to set sail in the coming months.

The modern world still loses far too many lives to maternal infections for a world more technologically adept and economically progressed than ever before.

The Infection Prevention Network congratulates The World Health Organisation (WHO) on releasing a research-backed toolkit that will be critical in the fight against antimicrobial-resistant organisms (AMO), demonstrating that learned pandemic behaviours continue to be crucial.

After two years of uncertainty, pathways out of the Covid-19 pandemic are becoming clearer. As Australians continue to return to their offices, it is crucial employers are aware of their responsibilities.

Every year Australia uses billions of Infection Prevention Products (IPP), including wipes, sprays, Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), and capital equipment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted and evolved many times over since 2020. However, the practice of sanitising and disinfecting your home after you or a family member has been infected is still essential.