Antibiotic Stewardship Policies and Their Impact on Hospital-Associated Infections in Kenyan Hospitals: An Intervention Study

Antibiotic resistance is a significant public health challenge in Kenyan hospitals, contributing to hospital-associated infections (HAIs). Current antibiotic stewardship policies are underutilized or poorly implemented. A mixed-methods approach including surveys, focus groups, and policy analysis was employed to assess changes in practice and outcomes post-intervention. Analysis revealed a 20% reduction in HAIs following the implementation of antibiotic stewardship policies (95% CI: 15-25%). The intervention demonstrated effectiveness in reducing HAIs, though challenges remain in policy enforcement and resource allocation. Continued education for healthcare providers is recommended to sustain improvements. Enhanced monitoring and evaluation are needed to ensure policies are adhered to. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.