Assessment of injection-related practices in a tribal community of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

A survey to assess injection related practices carried out among the Nicobarese, a mongoloid tribe of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. The survey was carried out using the rapid assessment and response guide of Safe Injection Global Network of the World Health Organization and included review of randomly selected prescriptions of patients attending outpatient clinic of district hospital, interview and observation of injection providers in the district hospital and sub-centres and interview of the general population. The findings of the survey showed that 18.8% of prescriptions included at least one injection. The per capita injection rate was 3 per year. Majority of injections were administered with disposable syringe and needle and in hospital setting. All the injection providers were aware about possibility of HIV transmission through unsafe injections. However, the awareness among the general population was low. More than half of the individuals had preference to injections. It is suggested that remedial measures, such as education of prescribers to reduce the number of injections to a bare minimum, maintaining regular supply of disposable injection equipments, provision of adequate sharps containers with safe disposal facilities and community education be undertaken to avoid future spread of blood-borne pathogens.