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4.3 Perceptions of infection control practices by HBCCs/project managers and
volunteer caregivers
Participants were asked about their understanding of infection control practices. Infection
control practices were seen as important for prevention of cross infections either from the
patients to the volunteer caregivers or from the volunteer caregivers to the patients. Infection
control practices were also seen to be important because of the need for proper hygiene in the
communities.
4.3.1 Important for prevention of cross infections from the patient-to-volunteer caregivers
Majority of the volunteer caregivers and home-based care coordinators mentioned that
infection control practices were important because they felt that they were able to protect
themselves from infections such as Tuberculosis (T.B); HIV and diarrhoea. For example, one
home based care coordinator said:
“Our opinion is to tell the volunteer caregivers to prevent or protect themselves because they
are working with people whom they do not know. Even if they find an injured person they
must not take chances of touching the blood because they may happen to get diseases. They
must wear the gloves and protect themselves because it is very painful to find that a volunteer
got infected on duty while he/she was helping a person in the community…”
(HBCC, organisation D)
Most participants in focus group discussions emphasised that they felt protected from T.B,
HIV and diarrhoea:
“It is highly important... that we are protected from T.B and HIV/AIDS because most of the
patients have sores. It protects us from diarrhoea you know that one is also contagious
sometimes if you are careless and if you live in unhygienic conditions. For instance if I have
to touch that person I have to wash my hands first. Chances of being infected are high and
with these gloves of ours ... and on T.B. especially it is important to protect yourself because
you will get infected and come back to infect your children and other people so it is important
it helps to protect ourselves.” (Focus group 7, organisation G)
4.3.2 Important for prevention of cross infection from the volunteer caregivers-to-patients
Some participants in focus group discussions stated that it was important to practice infection
control to protect the patients from being infected by the caregiver’s infections:
“We would say that it is very important, because I have my own diseases and they have their
own. I should not infect my client with my disease. In the end we shouldn’t then end up
infecting each other with these diseases”. (Focus group 10, organisation J)
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