The programs are planned based on need assessment and GDIPC programs’ objectives, either annual or urgent as in case of the pandemic situation. The basic education programs and advances include strategic goals that build the skills level of healthcare workers in the infection control field and improve their weaknesses. The GDIPC training programs has created and implemented four programs such as Comprehensive Infection Control Program (CICP), Comprehensive Sterilization Program (CSP), Hospital Acquired Infections Outbreak Investigations and Surveillance- HAIOS and Infection Control Orientation program (ICOP). The training team in GDIPC are following up, reviewing and approving the education program in the prevention and control of infections in the healthcare facilities that have been provided by regional based on their annual training plan. Furthermore, reassessing the contents based on the scientific methods, the curriculum vitae of the speakers before submitting it to Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) for getting approval and accreditation CME hours. The organization and coordination of the training programs were done according to regulations of the General Directorate of Training and Scholarship and the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.

- Comprehensive Infection Control Program (CICP)

It is a comprehensive training program specialized in the infection control field that was approved by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCHS). Target groups of the training program are infection control practitioners to provide them with basic principles, applied practices and standards for infection control in healthcare facilities based on the latest local and international standards for managing and operating all infection control program activities. This aim is achieved through an intensive training plan for the period of (3) months that includes lectures and clinical training under the supervision of expert’s infection control coordinators in accredited training centers.

The Basic Infection Control Skills License (BICSL) program is a mandatory license for 2 years for all healthcare workers in healthcare facilities. It is obligatory for all of the following healthcare workers (HCWs) categories:

Who have direct or indirect contact with patients in hospitals.

Who have direct or indirect contact with patients with confirmed or suspected respiratory infections in primary healthcare centers and other specialized centers.

Who have been assigned to work on Hajj duty.

The training aims is to educate the staff on the basics of infection control precautions to prevent and control the risk of infection transmission in healthcare facilities. The training elements of the program include hand hygiene, proper use of personal protective equipment, waste management and dealing with biological spills, isolation precautions, N95 Fittest. The trainee is given a license after passing the training which is renewed annually based on General Directorate of Infection, Prevention and Control for Healthcare Facilities’ (GDIPC) regulations. the GDIPC is responsible for BICSL training policy and providing the BICSL trainers with the training tools. Also, the training team evaluates the quality of BICSL training through checklist tools and implementation through virtual or actual visits to assess the training quality and find the weakness and areas of improvement.

Work Method

• Update program components base on risk assessment and local, global epidemiological variables.
• Preparing and issuing memos for the following up and developing the program.
• Providing the training and developing the trainers in the directorates, the medical complexes and healthcare facilities in order to be qualified & competent.
• Following up the training process of candidate’s in the health facilities.
• Evaluate the training quality of the program offered by Basic Infection Control Skills License (BICSL) trainers in the healthcare facilities.
• Following up of the BICSL program on the HESN system and the data entry.
• Continuous communication with the HESN coordinators team and the program coordinators for any updates.

It is developmental courses and qualifying programs that include the National Infection Control Diploma Program (NICDP). NICDP is divided into the developmental course for infection control nurses and qualifying program for bachelor degrees for Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, Laboratory. This program is approved from Saudi Council of Health Specialties and aims to prepare national professionals in infection control field through comprehensive infection control training for 1 year, it include lectures and field training in the training centers and the participants are evaluated periodically through regular exams, assignments and final exams with a certificate of passing approved from SCHS and MOH. Since, 1433H (2012), there are 5 batches already graduated from the program with a total of 238 graduates working in different IC positions in the hospitals/ directorates/ clusters. The Postgraduate Program includes master in IC program of Alfaisal University through an agreement between MOH and the university for recruitment of a selected number of MOH employees for the master program (3 batches).

Work Method