The aim of the conference is the assessment and improvement of the safe injection practice in health facilities of four countries of the region in order to reduce the level of hospital-acquired ways of parenteral infections transmission (i.e. via use of medical tools - syringes, needles and catheters): HIV, viral Hepatitis B and C.

As per the WHO data, annually 16 billion injections are made worldwide, the half of which are non-safe. Annually non-safe injection practices lead to 80000-160000 new cases of HIV infection; to 2.3-4.7 million cases of viral Hepatitis B and to 8-16 million new cases of viral Hepatitis C. Annually non-safe injection practices lead to 1.3 millions of untimely deaths.

Non-safe injections and catheterization of vessels present a huge threat for occurrence of the hospital-acquired (nosocomial) infections outbreak in all Central Asian countries. Nosocomial HIV infection cases were registered in the countries of the region. For instance, HIV infection outbreak was registered among children in South-Kazakhstan oblast in May 2006 the reasons of which were lots of blood transfusions and non-safe injections made to children in health facilities. The identical outbreak of HIV infection was registered among children hospitalized to the hospitals of Osh oblast of the Kyrgyz Republic in 2007.

As per the results of CDC researches, the sources of the highest risk of infection transmission in all countries of the region are: a large number of unreasonably prescribed injections, excessive use of blood components, secondary use of medical tools, non-adequate sterilization of sharp medical tools (syringes, scarificators etc) and non-adequate waste management.

All those non-safe practices could be averted by taking corresponding preventive activities developed as per the results of assessment of the existing injection and vessels catheterization practice in the countries as well as training of specialists.

At the financial support of Central Asian AIDS Control Project and CDC technical support a range of activities related to the safe injection practice improvement will be conducted in the countries of the region. In particular, recommendations for reduction of hospital-acquired infection in the health facilities of Central Asia countries will be developed and implemented into practice. It is expected that the undertaken activities will lead to reduction of HIV and viral Hepatitis B and C hospital-acquired transmission.