13 May 2024 • The World Health Organization (WHO) has released guidelines aimed at curbing bloodstream and other infections resulting from catheter use, particularly in minor blood vessels during medical procedures.

Highlighting the severity of healthcare-associated sepsis, WHO estimates an average mortality rate of 24.4%, soaring to 52.3% among ICU patients from 2000 to 2018. Notably, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) directly caused 1.27 million deaths in 2019, with an additional 4.95 million attributed to its influence.

The guidelines, comprising 14 good practice statements and 23 recommendations, focus on critical areas for healthcare workers, including education and training, asepsis techniques, hand hygiene practices, catheter insertion, maintenance, access, removal, and selection.

Source: WHO | Read full story