Beyond awareness: evaluating the impact of a hospital-wide, multi-station infection prevention and control (IPC) innovation campaign on core hospital infection control committee (HICC) performance metrics – a pre-post audit study

Background: Infection prevention is fundamental to patient safety, yet conventional audits often fall short in driving sustained behavioural change. To address this, Arete Hospitals implemented a hospital-wide, multi-station infection prevention and control (IPC) innovation campaign during the International Infection Prevention Week 2025, featuring immersive, department-specific activities such as hand hygiene, usage of personal protective equipment, disinfecting cleaning of surfaces, and IPC knowledge. Aim: To assess the effectiveness of these interactive, staff-led interventions—anchored in gamified learning and positive reinforcement—in improving core Hospital Infection Control Committee (HICC) performance metrics. Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-post audit was conducted across clinical and support departments. Key performance indicators included hand hygiene, standard and transmission-based precautions, bundle care adherence, rates of health-care associated infections (HAI), safe injection practices, housekeeping, and biomedical waste management. Results: The campaign engaged 215 healthcare workers (HCWs) with participation rates above 85% and strong positive feedback. Adherence improved significantly across all domains: hand hygiene rose from 62% to 84%, PPE adherence from 68% to 87%, biomedical waste segregation from 71% to 90%, environmental disinfecting cleaning from 74% to 88%, and safe injection practices from 80% to 92%. These gains, achieved with minimal financial investment, highlight the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of gamified IPC interventions in embedding a resilient infection-prevention culture. Conclusion: This cost-effective, immersive IPC innovation campaign transformed routine audits into dynamic process improvements, delivering measurable adherence gains. By reinforcing indirect yet pivotal safety practices, it embedded a resilient infection prevention culture, proving dedicated time alone can catalyse sustainable patient safety outcomes.