HSE initiatives fail to reduce cases of MRSA

THE number of MRSA cases shows no sign of falling, despite several initiatives launched by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in recent years to counter the so-called superbug.

Newly released figures show there were 292 verified cases of MRSA in the first six months of this year.

If that rate continues, there will be approximately 584 cases by the end of the year — almost exactly the same amount as last year, when there were 588.

This is despite the HSE’s efforts to combat the problem, indicating how difficult a task the organisation has in reducing infection rates.

In 2005, the HSE launched a national audit of hospital hygiene standards in a bid to identify where conditions needed improving.

It also launched an awareness campaign, informing hospital staff, patients and public good hand hygiene was one of the “simplest and most effective measures” to combat MRSA.

In 2006, the HSE announced a plan to reduce hospital infections by 20% and MRSA by 30% over the following five years.

But in March this year, HSE chief executive Prof Brendan Drumm acknowledged the scale of the problem, saying the threat of infections in hospital would never be eradicated.

“What we’ve got to do is minimise [the threat of infection], but we will never reach a situation where there is not a risk associated with going into hospital,” he told an Oireachtas committee.

MRSA, or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, is a group of bacteria resistant to methicillin-type antibiotics.

The HSE has said overuse of antibiotics in hospitals is the major factor in the prevalence of MRSA here. Such overuse allows the bacteria build resistance to a wide range of antibiotics.

The latest figures were provided by Health Minister Mary Harney to Fine Gael TD Lucinda Creighton.

Ms Harney said tackling hospital-acquired infections, including MRSA, was “a priority” for both the Government and the HSE.

Referring to the HSE’s infection reduction targets, she said: “These targets will be achieved through the development of national and local level action plans to reduce the potential for spread of infections between persons in healthcare settings, and, in addition, will focus on reducing antibiotic use in Ireland.

“The HSE has issued hygiene and infection control standards for all hospitals and has begun initiatives on reducing antibiotic consumption.

“In addition, the HSE has appointed a number of new infection control nurses, surveillance scientists and antibiotic pharmacists. These staff will strengthen specialist support for infection control.”