ATHENS – A common problem affecting hospitals – infections acquired by patients being cared for – will be tackled in Greece in a program that aims to prevent them.

Ten hospitals across the country will get additional staff and training to try to create a blueprint for identifying the so-called Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAI) that can be deadly to those in vulnerable states.

The plan also includes the creation of a system for monitoring HAIs – and contributing to controlling infectious disease outbreaks, said Kathimerini, a 5-million euro ($6.06 million) program funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

It is being led by the Organization for the Quality of Healthcare and the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Outcomes Research (CLEO).

The program is a “powerful alliance in the battle against HAIs and antimicrobial resistance, which remain serious threats to the Greek health system,” CLEO Director Theoklis Zaoutis told the paper of the aim.