الفهرس 
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Abstract
HIV), represents a basic expectation anywhere health care is provided. Preventing the spread of bloodborne pathogens, particularly hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus This is true both in terms of patient and provider protections. Health care should provide no avenue for the transmission of these potentially life-threatening infections.
The aim of this cross sectional study was to assess safe injection practices among health-care workers (HCWs) in Ain Shams University hospitals, to measure the knowledge towards safe injection and to assess waste management process for injecting materials in these hospitals.
10% of the total HCWs practicing injections were interviewed, in addition to 2 observational checklists. One was for assessment of injection process and the other one was for assessment of the facilities.
The results of our study indicate that injection practices within all health-care facilities are not as good as they should be and as such can contribute to the spread of infection. All the health care departments lacked adequate activities to promote and ensure safe injection practice, such as written policies and procedures, overseeing activities, etc. Clearly there is a need to address the situation and implement strategies to bring about improvement.
The reasons for the inadequacy of safe injection practice may be a lack of awareness of the staff of safe injection practices and their importance for control of infection, both to themselves, to the recipients of injections and also to waste disposal staff. Although the practices of the trained staff were better in certain areas, in others their practices were similar to those who had not received any training. This suggests that these training courses were not sufficient to increase the health-care workers’ awareness and change their attitudes, behaviours and practices. This also suggests that the implementation of proper infection control practices needs not only specific training courses, but also strict regulations, supervision and even application of specific rewards and punishments schemes. It may additionally suggest that in some cases a lack of appropriate supplies made it difficult to apply safe injection practices.
In conclusion, injuries from sharp objects among HCWs are a widespread occupational hazard. In this study, gender, job categories, and specific hospital wards were the most important risk factors for exposure.
An effective and goal-oriented educational program and on job training targeting at HCWs, and an establishment of a surveillance system for registering, reporting and management of occupational exposure in hospitals, are required. The use of protective measures and vaccination against HBV are also important ways to prevent viral transmission among HCWs.