Prevalence of Surgical site Infection among Adult Patients at a Rural District Hospital in Southern Province, Rwanda

Background Globally, postoperative surgical site infection (SSI) is among the top causes of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing surgery. Objectives This study aimed to determine the prevalence of SSI among adult patients that underwent surgery at a hospital in the Southern Province, Rwanda. Method The study design was cross-sectional and used structured questionnaires, interviews and reviewed patients' file records. Data were collected on 122 participants selected using the convenient sampling strategy. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 2020 was used to analyze the data. Results Most (86.1%) of the participants were females, the majority (48.4%) were aged 28-37 years. The prevalence of SSI was 8.2%, and most (90%) of the infected patients had undergone Caesarean section. Being HIV positive increased the risk for developing SSI. (X2: 9.604, df:1, CI: 1.7053; 19.8652; p value=0.014). Conclusion The prevalence of SSI was 8.2%. Therefore, there is a need for enhancing preventive measures, early detection and treatment that will reduce the comorbidities of infected patients. HIV patients would need further attention.