Interpretation of the <i>Development and Implementation of National Action Plans for Infection Prevention and Control Practical Guide</i> issued by the World Health Organization_West China Medical Journal

Authors：

WU Yueming , LIU Fangfei ,  ZHANG Chen

Department of Infection Control, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710004, P. R. China;

Corresponding?author：

ZHANG Chen, Email: osteozhang@163.com

Keywords：

Infection prevention and control; national action plan; guidelines; interpretation; antimicrobial resistance; macro-governance

DOI：

10.7507/1002-0179.202603046

Video：

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This article provides a systematic interpretation of the Development and Implementation of National Action Plans for Infection Prevention and Control Practical Guide issued by the World Health Organization in 2025. Functioning as a pragmatic evolution of the 2016 Guidelines on core components of infection prevention and control programmes, this new guide aims to overcome systemic bottlenecks in transitioning from theoretical advocacy to practical implementation through a core “five-step cycle” framework. It elaborates on eight strategic pathways, including governance architecture, data-driven methodologies, and multidisciplinary synergy, while achieving high integration with the global action plan and monitoring framework. The guide offers significant benchmarks for refining infection prevention and control professional security mechanisms, enhancing the clinical translation efficacy of surveillance data, and deepening multidisciplinary integration in China. It provides theoretical support and a practical reference for constructing a high-quality modern infection prevention and control macro-governance system and formulating related policies.

Citation： WU Yueming, LIU Fangfei, ZHANG Chen. Interpretation of the Development and Implementation of National Action Plans for Infection Prevention and Control Practical Guide issued by the World Health Organization. West China Medical Journal, 2026, 41(3): 385-392. doi: 10.7507/1002-0179.202603046 Copy

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11.	World Health Organization. Global action plan and monitoring framework on infection prevention and control (IPC), 2024-2030. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2023.
12.	Pronovost P, Needham D, Berenholtz S, et al. An intervention to decrease catheter-related bloodstream infections in the ICU.N Engl J Med, 2006, 355(26): 2725-2732.
13.	Zingg W, Holmes A, Dettenkofer M, et al. Hospital organisation, management, and structure for prevention of health-care-associated infection: a systematic review and expert consensus. ancet Infect Dis, 2015, 15(2): 212-224.
14.	Tacconelli E, Cataldo MA, Dancer SJ, et al. ESCMID guidelines for the management of the infection control measures to reduce transmission of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in hospitalized patients. Clin Microbiol Infect, 2014, 20(S1): 1-55.
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1. World Health Organization. Global report on infection prevention and control. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2022.
2. Allegranzi B, Bagheri Nejad S, Combescure C, et al. Burden of endemic health-care-associated infection in developing countries: systematic review and Meta-analysis. Lancet, 2011, 377(9761):228-241.
3. Cocker D, Birgand G, Zhu N, et al. Healthcare as a driver, reservoir and amplifier of antimicrobial resistance: opportunities for interventions. Nat Rev Microbiol, 2024, 22(10): 636-649.
4. World Health Organization. Global report on infection prevention and control 2024. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2024.
5. Mangalea MR, Halpin AL, Haile M, et al. Decolonization and pathogen reduction approaches to prevent antimicrobial resistance and healthcare-associated infections. Emerg Infect Dis, 2024, 30(6): 1069-1076.
6. World Health Organization. Global antimicrobial resistance and use surveillance system (GLASS). Geneva: World Health Organization, 2025.
7. McInnes RS, McCallum GE, Lamberte LE, et al. Horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in the human gut microbiome. Curr Opin Microbiol, 2020, 53: 35-43.
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Antibiotic resistance threats in the United States, 2019. Atlanta: U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, 2019.
9. World Health Organization. Guidelines on core components of infection prevention and control programmes at the national and acute health care facility level. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2016.
10. World Health Organization. Development and implementation of national action plans for infection prevention and control: practical guide. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2025.
11. World Health Organization. Global action plan and monitoring framework on infection prevention and control (IPC), 2024-2030. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2023.
12. Pronovost P, Needham D, Berenholtz S, et al. An intervention to decrease catheter-related bloodstream infections in the ICU.N Engl J Med, 2006, 355(26): 2725-2732.
13. Zingg W, Holmes A, Dettenkofer M, et al. Hospital organisation, management, and structure for prevention of health-care-associated infection: a systematic review and expert consensus. ancet Infect Dis, 2015, 15(2): 212-224.
14. Tacconelli E, Cataldo MA, Dancer SJ, et al. ESCMID guidelines for the management of the infection control measures to reduce transmission of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in hospitalized patients. Clin Microbiol Infect, 2014, 20(S1): 1-55.
15. Zimlichman E, Henderson D, Tamir O, et al. Health care-associated infections: a Meta-analysis of costs and financial impact on the US health care system. JAMA Intern Med, 2013, 173(22): 2039-2046.

West China Medical Journal

Interpretation of the Development and Implementation of National Action Plans for Infection Prevention and Control Practical Guide issued by the World Health Organization

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