Naresh Nandam Ongole

Doctorsand staff working in operation theatres and intensive care units must not roam in scrubs, the special dress used to contain infections, outside those areas, ordered the Superintendent of the Government General Hospital in Ongole, Dr S Manikyarao, on Wednesday.

Dr Manikyarao informed that the Director of Medical Education, Dr Vishnuvardhan, has issued orders to control infections in hospitals. Earlier, the orders were only oral, and now written orders have been issued for the first time. He said germs can spread if the dress is worn elsewhere, raising the risk of infection for patients. After duty in the designated areas, staff must not move in general wards, OPDs, corridors, offices and canteens in the same dress, the superintendent said. Staff must wear the special dress only in operation theatre complexes, ICUs, labour rooms, cath labs, and sterile zones. Staff must remove caps, masks and shoe covers before going out. In an emergency, a clean gown that fully covers the body must be worn over the dress, he explained.

Dr Manikyarao said that the infection control committee will make surprise checks. First-time violators will be counselled, and repeated violations will lead to disciplinary action.

He urged everyone to follow the rules.