Two babies died in an hospital in Linz (Upper Austria) after an outbreak of the dangerous acinetobacter germ in December 2015. Braincon Technologies was called for help. Within some hours all affected rooms were decontaminated to prevent further infections. Braincon chef Davul Ljuhar criticises that the most hospitals are insufficiently equipped and therefore unable to help themselves in urgent cases.
Mr. Ljuhar, although incidences like Linz are not a particular case you rarely hear about nosocomial infections and multiresistance in the media. What is the reason for this?
In Austria about 5.000 people die per year from the consequences of nosocomial infection. The most cases are swept under the carpet because hospitals are afraid of lasting damages. Only in spectacular cases – like in Linz where babies were concerned – something leaks to the public.
What the occurrences in Linz have shown to us?
They have shown that hospitals are inadequately equipped to manage such situations. The hygiene conditions leave much to be desired. That applies to preventive measures as well as to the right measures in the event of damage. Only a handful of hospitals in Austria are able to decontaminate in case of emergency.
How does a good technical solution look like?
An efficient technology must kill all bacteria, virus, fungi and yeasts. And this is only available with micro aerosols under 10 µm – a quality that is achieved by our system (DCX). The effectiveness of DCX-disinfection is caused by the patented so called dry vaporization. And in contrast to conventional systems, DCX prevents unwanted condensation. Therefore, electronic devices can remain in the room. We were not chosen accidentally by the hospital in Linz …
In view of the high efficiency of your system and the enormous outbreak-danger: Why hospitals don’t equip themselves with efficient systems?
Their cost argument is not convincing. The expense of one mobile DCX device amounts to 60.000 Euro. If you compare that for example with the secondary costs of one MRSA patient (37.000-40.000 Euro) one sees clear that this does not fit together. The annual extra investment, due to nosocomial infections, is about 250 Mio Euro. With our system you could reduce it to 100-150 Euro.
All this is hardly understandable, especially taking into account that nosocomial infections cause enormous personal suffering.
In fact, this is the really tragic page of the problem. What happens behind the scenes is really shocking. Patients in quarantine fall in deep depression what may result in suicide.
Why the hospitals don’t act?
Hospitals think economically – In reality not only the germs, but they are resistant! Hospital and hygiene managers are resistant to good arguments and solutions. To a large extent they are colleagues of Semmelweis.
