Table 3.

Sterile processing practice

	Republic of Congo hospitals (n=4)	Madagascar hospitals (n=14)	Madagascar health centres (n=3)	Benin hospitals (n=11)	Benin health centres (n=23)
Cleaning
Number (%) of facilities with warm water easily available	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
Number (%) of facilities with various sized brushes and sponges available for cleaning	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
Number (%) of facilities with appropriate detergent*	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)
Number (%) of facilities with clean clothes for drying instruments	2 (50)	0 (0)	0 (0)	6 (60)	0 (0)
Decontamination
Number (%) of facilities using bleach solution prior to cleaning†	4 (100)	14 (100)	3 (100)	11 (100)	23 (100)
Number (%) of facilities using three-sink method‡	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)

*Appropriate detergent defined as enzymatic or liquid soap with a pH between 7 and 10.¹⁸

†Use of bleach is no longer recommended. ^{9 10}

‡Three-sink method defined as two separate containers with warm, soapy water for decontaminating and cleaning, and a third with distilled water for rinsing.¹²