Tiffany Wu
The Ministry of Health and Welfare promulgated the Rules for Implementing and Inspecting the Infection Control Measures in Long-term Care and Correction Organizations (Institutions) and Places (hereinafter, the “Rules”), which consist of 19 articles, via the Bu-Shou-Ji-1050100833 Directive of July 8, 2016. The Rules came into effect on the day of their promulgation. The Rules are highlighted below:
The Rules specifically provide that a long-term care and correction organization (institution) shall be governed by the Rules, formulate its infection control plan and review and update the plan at least once a year, and shall assign full-time employees within their organization to serve as dedicated personnel in charge of implementing the infection control plan of the organization (institution) and its premises, calling relevant meetings regularly and maintaining records for future reference.
The Rules specifically provide that such organization shall formulate an infection control education and training plan for employees, conduct employees’ education and training according to the plan and maintain supporting training documents for reference. All new employees shall receive at least four-hour infection control training within one month after the commencement of their employment; all incumbent employees shall receive at least four-hour infection control training; and dedicated personnel shall receive at least eight hours of infection control training.
The Rules also require such organization to monitor and report the status of infectious diseases pursuant to law, formulate a procedure to handle patients suspected to have contracted infectious diseases, prepare standard operating procedures for preventing, monitoring, investigating, controlling and coping with abnormal situations, report and take appropriate quarantine measures pursuant to the requirements of the competent authority, prepare investigation, handling and improvement reports, and conduct tracking and filing. If necessary, assistance may be sought from the competent authority.
In addition, the Rules also require such organization to collect the health data of its employees and the recipients of its services, administer chest X-ray, vaccination and other necessary examination or epidemic prevention measures according to infectious disease control needs; disseminate health education information relating to the prevention and control of infectious diseases; formulate regulations for the management of visitors, maintain records, monitor the temperature of visitors and take other epidemic prevention measures according to epidemic prevention needs; set up sufficient and appropriate hand-washing equipment, formulate the standard hand-washing procedure for the employees, inspection mechanisms and the standard operating procedures for the cleaning and sterilization of environment, facilities and equipment.
The Rules also specifically provide that competent authorities in municipalities under the direct jurisdiction of the Executive Yuan and counties (cities) may invite representatives of relevant organizations or relevant infection control experts and scholars to jointly participate in the inspection of the infection control conducted by such organizations every four years. The central competent authority may send officials to provide assistance or conduct inspection.