Report exposes widespread hygiene issues in Swiss hospitals

According to Swiss medicines regulator Swissmedic, Swiss hospitals have shortcomings in disinfecting, sterilising, packaging, and storing medical products. The industry is asking for understanding while promising improvements. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Hospitals are often thought to be particularly clean, given the importance of hygiene in such environments - germs and bacteria can quickly pose a threat to patients. However, a recent report from Swissmedic reveals that nearly all of the 25 Swiss hospitals inspected had issues with medical products, particularly in the areas of disinfecting, sterilising, packaging, and storage. Swiss hospital staff need hygiene training Compared to the previous inspection in 2021/2022, some key areas have actually worsened. In 2023, 91% of facility and cleaning/disinfection inspections found deficiencies, while 82% of inspections related to the packaging and storage of medical products identified problems. “We ...