800 mortuary, funeral workers undergo training in infection prevention, control

At least 800 mortuary and funeral workers from across the country have been trained to enhance their knowledge to stop the transmis­sion of diseases to vulnerable com­munities, themselves and families.

It was organised by the Mortu­ary, Funeral and Facilities Agency (MOFFA) in Kumasi and they were taken through Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) of related disease.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MOFFA, Dr Yaw Twerefour, in his remarks at the four-day training session said the key concept of transmission was micro-organisms mostly invisible but were everywhere.

He explained that the trans­mission required a source and a susceptible host and route of transmission as the main routes, in­cluding contact droplets, airborne or vehicles like foods.

He disclosed that, the partici­pants would acquire certificates that would bring value to their operations as professional workers to secure their jobs.

He stressed that, the MOFFA had come to ensure that “workers get the technical know-how and basic knowledge about their work to help acquire certificates and also improve on their working experi­ences and capacities”.

The CEO disclosed that the aim and benefit of the training was to ensure that the workers pro­tected themselves, their patients, family and community, including mosques, churches and market places and healthcare centres asso­ciated infections.

The healthcare associated infections, he said, “are infections occurring in a patient, during the process of care in a hospital or other family care facility that was not present”.

A facilitator and lead technical and acting director for MOFFA, Mr Emmanuel Okyere, mentioned that IPC “is a policy procedure and practices used to reduce the risk of spreading infections, especially in healthcare settings including morgues and in the community.”

According to him, the exer­cise would enhance participants’ scientific approach with practical solutions designed to prevent harm and infections to patients.

He said the goal was to protect the vulnerable population at risk of acquiring infection in healthcare facilities, adding that for infections to spread all links must be connect­ed and for that matter, “the need to break any link will stop disease transmission.”