This manual provides guidance to health managers and health workers on infrastructures and standard procedures required for effective sterilization, and decontamination reprocessing of medical devices.

This manual provides guidance to health managers and health workers on infrastructures and standard procedures required for effective sterilization, and decontamination reprocessing of medical devices. This edition represents a thorough revision and update of the Sterilization Manual for Health Centers issued by the Pan American Health Organization in 2009 to expand its scope to a global context in recognition of countries where sterile services departments (SSD) either do not exist or are inadequately run.

The following high level topics are covered in this resource: (i) general aspects of sterilization; (ii) staffing in the sterilization services department (SSD); (iii) the SSD; (iv) cleaning of medical devices; (v) preparation and packaging for reprocessing; (vi) chemical disinfectants; (vii) decontamination of endoscope; (viii) sterilization of reusable medical devices; (ix) reuse of single-use medical devices; (x) transporting medical devices to and from a decontamination facility; and (xi) processing of instruments in dental practice.