Hospital-Acquired Infections Are a Critical Healthcare Issue in the GCC & MENA - Why Indoor Air Matters

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), also known as nosocomial infections, are a persistent and costly global health challenge. In clinical settings where patients, caregivers, and visitors share indoor spaces for prolonged periods, these infections can spread through contact and airborne routes - making indoor air quality (IAQ) a critical part of infection prevention.

In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, available data shows that healthcare-associated infections are a significant public health concern, affecting patient safety, treatment outcomes, and healthcare system efficiency.

Regional Hospital-Acquired Infections Burden: What the Data Shows

While regional surveillance varies, point-prevalence surveys across seven Middle Eastern countries - including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Egypt - found that about 11.2% of hospital patients were affected by healthcare-associated infections, demonstrating a substantial prevalence in acute care settings.

At a tertiary hospital in Oman, hospital-acquired bloodstream infections were observed at 8.9 cases per 1,000 admissions over five years, with the highest rates in intensive care units.

An older Emirati hospital study reported an HAI attack rate of 4.7%, with urinary tract infections, surgical wound infections, and respiratory infections among the most common.

These figures are consistent with broader international data suggesting HAIs remain endemic where infection control practices and environmental risk factors intersect.

Antibiotic Resistance: A Compounding Threat

This trend compounds the HAI challenge: resistant pathogens are harder to treat, extend hospital stays, increase costs, and elevate morbidity and mortality risks. Preventing infection before it occurs becomes even more crucial when treatment options are limited by resistance.

Why Indoor Air Quality Must Be Part of the Solution

Traditional infection prevention and control (IPC) efforts focus on surface cleaning, hand hygiene, and patient-handling protocols. These remain essential - but they do not address pathogens circulating in indoor air, especially in settings with:

• High occupancy and turnover

• Continuous mechanical ventilation

• Poor outdoor air quality due to dust and climate

• Long dwell times in enclosed areas

Indoor air is a continuous exposure pathway. Poor IAQ can:

• Facilitate airborne transmission of pathogens

• Increase exposure to bacteria, mould, and bioaerosols

• Extend contamination beyond high-touch surfaces

• Undermine other IPC measures when untreated air persists

Investing in technologies that improve IAQ strengthens all layers of infection prevention, reducing reliance on antibiotics and lowering HAI risk.

Dr Philip J Tierno (AKA as 'Dr Germ' ) is a highly regarded expert on HAIs and you can listen to what he says in this video.

Part of a Broader Healthcare Strategy

To reduce nosocomial infections effectively in the GCC & MENA, healthcare systems may consider policies that:

• Integrate IAQ performance requirements into hospital design and renovation standards

• Treat air quality management as preventive healthcare infrastructure

• Support independently tested IAQ technologies in clinical spaces

• Align HAI prevention with sustainability and Net Zero healthcare objectives

  
  

Conclusion: Clean Air is Health Infrastructure

Nosocomial infections continue to exact a heavy toll on patients, staff, and healthcare systems in the GCC & MENA. Regional prevalence surveys demonstrate that HAIs are far from rare, and emerging antibiotic resistance only heightens the stakes.

For Ministries of Health, hospital administrators, and infection control leaders, improving indoor air quality is a measurable, evidence-based step toward reducing infection risk, enhancing clinical outcomes, and strengthening healthcare resilience.

In modern healthcare environments, air quality is not optional — it is integral to patient safety and system sustainability.