Doha, October 10 (QNA) - Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) is organizing activities to mark International Infection Prevention Week (IIPW) from October 18 to 24, 2026, under the theme "Generations of Infection Prevention | Past. Present. Protected."

The theme reflects the journey of infection prevention through time, from practices passed down through generations and lessons learned from the past, through contemporary scientific applications, to protecting patients, healthcare workers, communities and future generations.

The campaign's organizing committee has identified a number of key objectives for IIPW, most notably raising awareness among healthcare workers and visitors about the importance of basic infection prevention and control practices; promoting a culture of adherence to hand hygiene, cough etiquette, environmental disinfection and other daily practices; highlighting the Islamic civilizational and medical heritage in the field of infection prevention and linking it to modern practices; encouraging healthcare workers to adopt a culture of disease surveillance and early reporting of infection cases; and providing engaging and accessible awareness content that reaches all groups at health centers and through social media platforms.

Manager of Health Protection at PHCC Dr. Khalid Elawad emphasized that infection prevention and control is a key pillar in ensuring patient safety and the quality of healthcare services. He noted that PHCC's participation in this global observance contributes to disseminating awareness messages across health centers and among employees, patients and visitors, while promoting the adoption of preventive practices in daily life.

Dr. Elawad added that infection prevention is not a modern concept, but rather a journey that extends throughout history. During this journey, practices have evolved from a focus on hygiene, isolation and avoiding sources of infection into a comprehensive, evidence-based system for protecting individuals and communities.

Regarding the services provided by PHCC in the area of infection prevention and control, he said that PHCC implements a comprehensive infection prevention and control program across its facilities. The program includes adherence to standard precautions, hand hygiene, appropriate use of personal protective equipment, safe injection practices, environmental cleaning and disinfection, and safe waste management, in addition to continuous education for employees, patients and visitors.

On the activities and events that PHCC will organize for visitors and the community, he said PHCC health centers will participate in IIPW through a diverse program of educational and interactive activities targeting employees, patients, visitors, school students and recipients of Home Health Care Services. The activities will include lectures, short workshops, educational competitions, daily presentations in waiting areas, dedicated educational and information corners, and interactive activities that encourage participants to adopt preventive behaviors. Activities will also be implemented in collaboration with the School Health Department to reach school students, and in coordination with Home Health Care Services to raise awareness among patients and their families in their homes.

The program will feature daily awareness messages linked to the key themes of the 2026 campaign, covering hand hygiene, cough and sneeze etiquette, vaccination, safe injection practices, the correct use of personal protective equipment, and environmental hygiene. Materials will be displayed on screens throughout the health centers, as well as in corridors and waiting areas. At the same time, awareness cards in Arabic and English will be disseminated through PHCC's official channels and social media platforms, in coordination with the Corporate Communications Department. PHCC employees will also receive daily email messages, while patients and visitors will be invited to provide feedback on the activities to assess the campaign's impact and use their feedback to further develop future awareness initiatives. (QNA)