IP in Dubai Speaks About APIC’s Cleaning, Disinfection, Sterilization Conference

Hebah Ibrahim Al Zamel, MSN, CIC, CPHQ, spoke to ICT^® from Dubai.

This year’s autumn Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology’s (APIC’s) Cleaning, Disinfection, Sterilization Conference (CDS) was held virtually on November 10 and 11, 2022. platform and session recordings will remain available to attendees and exhibitors until February 28, 2023. Hebah Ibrahim Al Zamel, MSN, CIC, CPHQ, health care policy consultant, infection control preventionist, and a member of the APIC CDS Education Committee spoke to Infection Control Today^® (ICT^®) about the presentations that she monitored.

ICT^®: How did you get involved with the 2022 CDS Committee?

Hebah Ibrahim Al-zamel, MSN, CIC CPHQ: I am from Jordan, and currently I work in Dubai at the Emirates Health Services, I hold an MSN, CIC, CPHQ, am a member of APIC. I was selected to work with the Education Committee, and I am luckyto have been chosen from among hundreds of applicants. I am also lucky to be part of the wonderful committee that prepared for the event.

ICT^®: What is the emphasis of this year’s fall conference?

Hebah Al-Zamel, MSN, CIC CPHQ: This interactive conference provides infection preventionist an opportunity to explore fundamental challenges, emerging issues, and practical strategies and solutions in the critical infection prevention and control areas of cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization.

ICT^®: How does infection prevention and control differ in Dubai than here in the United States?

HAZ: The United Arab Emirates works on disease prevention and control through several measures which include implementing laws and resolutions on combatting communicable diseases, reporting communicable diseases, setting a national policy for disease prevention, and introducing health and vaccination programs. In recent years a greater focus on improved clinical practice relating to infection prevention and control and significant advances in technology has led to better outcomes for patients.

ICT®: Which presentations will you be monitoring, and what do you hope the attendees will take away from the presentations?

HAZ: I monitored the following presentations:

1. “Standards in Focus: Key Updates In ANSI/AAMI ST91 and Other Standards on the Horizon,”
2. “A Useful Guide: Everything You Need to Know about UV-C Disinfection,”
3. “Colorized disinfection method improves cleaning efficacy: results from three hospital studies and a meta-analysis of the link between cleaning efficacy and reduced healthcare associated infections,” and
4. “The role of technology and innovation and patient safety.”

I hope the attendees will take away from the presentations last evidence-based practices in this topic.

ICT^®: Do you have anything else you would like to add?

HAZ: I hope this event [was] successful. I would like to thank the distinguished committee for all the efforts made, and I thank ICT^® as well.