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Introduction
During the past three decades, health care services in Kuwait had achieved a great development quantitatively and qualitatively especially in the field of Infection Control and Sterilization.
Before the 1970’s, sterilization relied on primitive devices and unqualified personnel with a very limited capacity. Later on, the only CSSD in Kuwait - which is the Main Department now - was put under the supervision of the Infection Control Committee, and this was the starting point.
In the late 1980’s seven new hospitals were opened simultaneously. The services of CSSD’s in the new hospitals were scarcely sufficient to cover their hospitals and still covering.
Non-availability of qualified staff needed to operate CSSD’s in the new hospitals prompted the Ministry of Health (MOH), to send selected technical staff for intensive training programmes in UK, Sweden and Denmark who could effectively manage the new CSSD’s, and qualified some employees as CSSD technicians after attending comprehensive local training programmes.
In 1983, the Directorate of Sterilization and Infection Control was established. In 1984 specialized training programmes to graduate qualified technicians has started in co-operation with the Public Authority for Applied Education & Training. Since then, the Directorate of Sterilization and Infection Control set special emphasis on introducing the latest technologies in the field of sterilization parallel with continuous training programmes.
Responsibilities of Main CSSD
- Providing Sterile supplies to all hospitals, clinics and polyclinics under the jurisdiction of ministry of Health.
- Revision and approval for the design of any SSD in the Ministry’s or private hospitals.
- Providing policies / procedures and supervising the implementation of the same in MOH.
- Technical Supervision on CSSD’s / TSSU’s in Ministry’s Hospitals.
- Communicate with the end users to improve the quality of the service.
- Participating in committees to outline specifications of purchased equipment and raw materials.
- Specifying criterion for quality control of all items produced by CSSD’s.
- Providing two years training programme in the field of sterilization for the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training for candidates who completed 12 years of general education. Upon completion they will be certified as qualified technicians. This training programme is unique not only in Kuwait but also in the Middle East.
- Training technical staff is a perquisite prior to employment in private hospitals.
- Providing consultancy and technical advice to enquiries related to sterilization whether from Ministry of Health or private hospitals.
- Providing on job training programmes, refreshment courses and continuous updating of technical staff
Progress towards Quality Systems Accreditation
- The Directorate of Infection Control is intending to obtain the Quality Systems Accreditation (ISO). On this regard and impressive progress was achieved to fulfill the requirements of the Quality Systems.
- 12 of supervisory personnel had completed an accredited training programme by the Institute of Sterile Services Management-UK.
- Continuous training programmes are in progress to increase awareness of technical staff about Quality Systems.
- Quality Manual, Quality Procedures and Quality Control Records were prepared and implemented.
- Imminently the department will appear for Quality Systems Accreditation.
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