The first adage of patient care is "to do no harm". However, health care associated infections (HCAI) constitute and continue to be a major complication of hospitalisation. Infections associated with health care increase the suffering, prolong hospital stay and result in high costs to patients, their families and the health care system. Added to this cost is the erosion of trust and confidence in health care institutions among the public and health care providers. Recent reports indicate that at any time about 1.4 million people worldwide suffer from HCAI. According to estimates the risk of HCAI is 2-20 times higher in developing countries where the overall incidence of HCAI is about 10% of hospitalised patients.

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