In the early 1970s, hospital infection activities were the responsibility of the Infection Control Unit in the Department of Medical Microbiology. Staff then comprised a Medical Microbiologist, a registered nurse and a Medical Laboratory Technologist.
To cope with increasing problems with nosocomial infections, a nursing sister was assigned to the Unit for several years (1987-1990).This was followed by the appointment of three Infection Control Nurses (ICN) in 1997, 1998 and 1999.
Eventually, the Infection Control Department (ICD) was formed on 3rd April 2000, under the directive of the Hospital Director and Chairman of the Infection Control Committee, PPUM, Prof. Dato”” Dr. Anuar Zaini Mohd Zain. The ICD was created specifically to enable more rapid and effective actions to be taken in the prevention and control of nosocomial infections.
Currently, the ICD works closely with the Microbiology Diagnostic Laboratory and Infectious Diseases Physicians.