Healthcare-Associated Infections Outbreak & Rapid Response Team (RRT) Department

The General Directorate of Infection Prevention and Control in Healthcare Facilities (GDIPC), represented by the HAIs Outbreaks Program & Rapid Response Team monitor and follow up HAIs outbreaks that appear in health facilities. The program investigates these outbreaks in all their case aspects according to scientific guidelines issued by GDIPC regarding prevention and control measures that have been acquired inside health facilities that may infect patients, visitors, and health care workers.

Furthermore, RRT is one of Saudi Arabia emergency response strategy mechanisms. It was established in 2014 and has been used in the MERS CoV. It is applied primarily for any pandemic disease, e.g. (COVID- 19 pandemic), to ensure a fast and effective response. In case of outbreaks, the RRT is responsible for controlling and responding to emerging and reemerging diseases, healthcare-associated Infections outbreak in healthcare facilities.