Investigating Infection Prevention and Control Practices among Healthcare Workers in Kasese District, Uganda: Factors and Implications for Ebola Preparedness

The World Health Organization (WHO) African region often faces numerous public health emergencies, with a significant proportion caused by infectious diseases. Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a high-consequence pathogen of particular concern due to its high mortality rate and potential for global transmission. The study aimed to investigate infection prevention and control (IPC) practices with factors associated with the practice among health care workers (HCWs) in Kasese district, Uganda. The study design was cross-sectional, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods. The study population consisted of HCWs working in six selected Health Centre III facilities in sub-counties bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A sample of 106 HCWs was purposively selected and data collection involved structured questionnaires, and then data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. The study reveals that a majority of HCWs were female (55.7%), worked in outpatient departments (49.1%), had 6-10 years of service (43.4%), held certificates as their highest education level (48.1%), and were predominantly nurses (53.8%). IPC practices were found to be low, with 72.6% of participants exhibiting inappropriate IPC practices. Individual factors influencing low IPC practices included the duration of IPC training, knowledge, attitude towards IPC, and education level, all statistically significant (P < 0.05). Similarly, health facility factors such as the accessibility of IPC guidelines and personal protective equipment (PPE), availability of sanitizer/soap, and proper and continuous IPC training/continuing medical education (CME) were associated with low IPC practice (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the study highlights a low level of IPC practice among HCWs in Health Centre Threes in Kasese District, with both individual and health facility factors contributing to this issue. Recommendations include training HCWs in IPC and organizing regular cascade training, providing IPC knowledge as part of their daily duties, ensuring confidence in managing Ebola during outbreaks, maintaining IPC strategies implemented during EVD outbreaks, and supplying IPC materials to healthcare facilities. These efforts, coupled with increased staffing, can significantly enhance protection and performance in public healthcare services.