WASHINGTON (CMC):

Health authorities from 13 Caribbean countries say they want to reduce healthcare-associated infections through a series of actions that include getting healthcare providers to improve hand hygiene.

Ministers of Health or their representatives from these countries on Saturday signed a pledge to that effect ahead of Monday's start of the 27th Pan American Sanitary Conference here at the headquarters of the Pan American Health Organisation.

Infections acquired in healthcare settings are a major public health problem worldwide, with some 1.4 million people suffering from them at any given time.