Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is a clinical and public health specialty based on a practical, evidence-based approach which prevents patients, health workers, and visitors to health care facilities from being harmed by avoidable infections, including those caused by antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, acquired during the provision of health care services.

The IPC Unit provides technical leadership and coordination of the IPC work at WHO headquarters. The IPC Unit is located within the Integrated Health Services (IHS) department in the Universal Health Coverage and Life Course division and works jointly with the IPC team in the WHO’s Health Emergencies (WHE) division and the AMR division.

 

The main functions of the IPC Unit are the following:

1) Technical leadership

2) Coordination of IPC and sepsis work

3) Advocacy and global campaigning on hand hygiene and other IPC topics in the context of Hand Hygiene Day and the WHO/UNICEF Hand Hygiene for All initiative, World Antibiotic Awareness Week, and World Patient Safety Day

4) Measuring, learning and reporting of IPC indicators and HAIs and sepsis surveillance

5) Capacity building and technical support to countries as needed, in collaboration with regional and country offices and other departments

 

 

 

 

 

Contact

Infection Prevention and Control Unit
Integrated Health Services
World Health Organization
20 Avenue Appia
1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland

E-mail: savelives@who.int