23/10/2011 12:00 AM (Doha, 23 October 2011) As part of its leadership role in sports medicine, Aspetar Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital is hosting a “United in Quality & Safety” campaign. The first-of-its-kind week-long event is taking place from 23-27 October. Throughout the week, the programme will focus on quality, prevention and infection control, and feature lectures from a panel of international experts from George Washington University Hospital, Qatar’s Supreme Council of Health as well as speakers from Aspetar. A broad range of topics will come under the spotlight from medication errors to safety awareness and safe behaviours in healthcare. While the campaign is aimed at physicians and associated professionals, policymakers, researchers, patients and their representatives, Aspetar will also extend some of the activities to include Aspire Academy students, club doctors, physical therapists, coaches and trainers to help the athletes play in a safe and healthy environment. Sittana S. Elshafie, the consultant microbiologist and infection control doctor at Aspetar commented on the campaign: “On 23rd of October each year, infection perfectionists all over the world celebrate the ‘International Infection Control’ week to commemorate the critically important work of infection prevention to reduce the risks of infection in healthcare settings and the community”. “This year, Aspetar Prevention and Control of Infection Team, Quality Office, and Pharmacy Department will join each other in this celebration in an effort to promote quality patient care and patient safety under the key message: United in Quality and Safety” Elshafie added. The campaign seeks to make patients, health providers and the public aware of the ways they can participate in infection control efforts, and partner to improve patient safety. While initiatives of the past decade have brought improvements, recent studies indicate that much work remains to be done, and can be done most effectively through the involvement of all parties. Aspetar will host a number of key scientific and medical activities towards the end of this year. These include the upcoming 1st International Consensus Meeting on Ramadan and Football - an official meeting of FIFA Centres of Excellence, as well as an Athlete’s Elbow meeting. -ENDS-