The Health Area of Ibiza and Formentera has confirmed this Wednesday that it has not been necessary to reschedule more surgical interventions at the Hospital de Formenterabeyond the five initially postponed for being non-urgent. Likewise, there have been no transfers for childbirth or urgent surgical procedures during the last few days. The closure of the hospital’s operating room and delivery room was ordered last week after the Infection Control Unit detected higher than recommended levels of microorganisms in an environmental analysis carried out in these critical areas. As health authorities explained, although the pathogen identified is common in many environments, surgical areas require strict aseptic conditions.
Completion of disinfection work
Monday saw the conclusion of the exhaustive disinfection work, which included cleaning the air conditioning system and other preventive measures, such as checking filters, uniforms and staff footwear. On the same day, samples were taken and will be analyzed within 72 hours, the preliminary results of which will determine the next steps to be taken. Once the results have been obtained, the Infection Control Unit, together with the Microbiology Service, the medical direction and the hospital management sub-directorate, will evaluate the conditions for resuming surgical activity.
Prepared for possible emergencies
In parallel, the Health Area has ensured that an operating room has been reserved in the event that transfers are necessary for surgical emergencies. However, so far there have been no situations requiring this type of intervention, which shows that the preventive measures are working effectively. The focus of the Health Area continues to be on guaranteeing patient safety, minimizing risks and maintaining high quality standards in the surgical environment. According to Catalina Serra, Infection Control Nurse, “these actions are vital to ensure that the surgical areas meet the necessary requirements.” With the operating room and delivery room still closed as a precautionary measure, the authorities hope that the results will allow scheduled operations to resume under optimal conditions next week.
