A three-day training workshop on “Water Quality in Health Care Institutions”, organized by the Ministry of Health represented by the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, commenced today (Tuesday) at the Grand Millennium Hotel.  
The workshop joined more than (70) health workers from water quality program’s focal points in health care institutions to increase their competence and enhance their awareness and knowledge about the importance of water quality in providing safe and effective health care. 
The event provides participants with the necessary skills to obtain reliable information about all aspects of the water safety and quality plan in health institutions through practical training. 
Dr. Fatima Al Fahdi, Consultant Physician in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, explained that health care facilities in general need water for their operation.  Water is used in patient room sinks (showers, toilets), and in employee sinks for hand hygiene, surgical preparation rooms, and health rehabilitation areas, food services, public restrooms, laboratories, many medical procedures for patients such as dialysis for patients with kidney failure, heater and cooling units for heart and chest surgeries, and others.
Dr. Al Fahdi added that water can be used for environmental cleaning of laundry in healthcare facilities, sterilization of medical equipment, and operation of many mechanical systems in the facility, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and fire protection.
Water may become a breeding ground for bacteria and diseases if it is not managed properly, which undermines the ability of health care facilities to provide safe medical services, thus affects the safety of patients, health workers, patient escorts and visitors, Dr. Al Fahdi stressed. 
Correct scientific steps to collect water samples, whether drinking water, dialysis centers, or from medical devices and various sites will be addressed within the event in addition to the methods of bacteriological and chemical laboratory analysis of these samples, as well laboratory results reading, and the procedures followed in case the results do not meet standard specifications.
A number of topics will be discussed including environmental health, prevention, and infection control procedures necessary to combat the spread of water-related diseases and the measures taken. The workshop will further include theoretical and practical training and field visits.
 “Water Quality in Healthcare Institutions” is the first of its kind in the Sultanate of Oman, and is presented by a group of experts in this field.