Use of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis and magnitude of surgical site infections among surgical patients at Hiwot Fana Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Harar, Ethiopia

BackgroundSurgical site infections (SSIs) remain a common complication after surgery, particularly in low-resource settings. This study assessed the use of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP) and the magnitude of SSI among Surgical patients at Hiwot Fana Comprehensive Specialised Hospital, Harar, Ethiopia. MethodsA hospital-based retrospective chart review was conducted among 297 randomly selected patient records from November 2022 to October 2023. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression to identify factors associated wth SSI. ResultsSAP was administered to 96 % of patients, predominantly ceftriaxone (72%). The overall SSI rate was 10.9 % (95% CI: 7.1-14.1). Factors significantly associated with SSI included comorbidity, previous surgery, ASA score [≥]2, emergency procedures, contaminated/dirty wounds, and lack of prophylaxis. ConclusionDespite high SAP utilization, SSI prevalence remains moderate. Strengthening adherence to surgical antibiotic prophylaxis guidelines and optimizing timing and antibiotic choice are recommended to further reduce SSIs.