The new Healthcare Forum has been announced to run alongside the ISSA/INTERCLEAN exhibition in Amsterdam, on Wednesday 16th May 2018 at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre.
The Forum addresses the growing demand for hygienic and disinfecting products and solutions in the healthcare sector, caused by the increasing threat of healthcare associated infections and antibiotic resistance on top of the agenda.
The forum’s aim is to facilitate knowledge sharing and networking amongst decision makers, key opinion leaders and other parties in the industry. A decrease in healthcare associated infections will improve patient safety and reduce the duration of hospital stays.
Key topics will focus on the importance of surface cleaning and hand hygiene, antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention. The programme starts with an informative session on the burden of healthcare associated infections, followed by sessions dedicated to education, patient safety, cost effectiveness and the economy of cleaning, research and developments, and concludes with the CEO executive session on cleaning in relation to infection prevention and control.
Professor Didier Pittet, infectious diseases expert and the director of the Infection Control Programme and World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre on Patient Safety, University of Geneva Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, will be spearheading the scientific advisory committee.
Professor Pittet said: “Healthcare associated infections are one of the largest causes of deaths worldwide. These are preventable deaths. Yet, no healthcare systems can claim to have solved the problem. This forum will be an essential step in increasing awareness on healthcare associated infections and in addressing the critical role of cleaning in infection prevention and control.”
Rob den Hertog, Director of Professional Cleaning and Hygiene at ISSA/INTERCLEAN, said: “The link between the professional cleaning exhibition of ISSA/INTERCLEAN and the Forum is the innovative aspect. This is where over 1,000 decision makers in the cleaning industry can come into contact with the offers, thoughts and demands from the healthcare industry.”
