The Ministry of Health is guiding its health actions aiming at controlling and/or improving the care. Therefore, in 1994, a national study and research was developed in order to understand and evaluate the quality of the actions related to the control of hospital infection in the country. The results showed a medium incidence of hospital infection (15,5%) and a number of hospitals that correctly perform risk procedures (42,5%). The purpose of this study was to report the work of the Commissions for Hospital Infection Control in the context of the health policies established in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The Program for Hospital Infection Control was created in 1992 and had a high receptivity, implementing commissions in 90 hospitals what represented a significant increase (from 7% in 1992 to 43% in 1993). There are in the state 177 Commissions for Hospital Infection Control, totaling 77%. Nowadays, 16 hospitals are accredited in infection control and 30 are being prepared for the accreditation evaluation.
hospital infection; health policy; accreditation