The Launch of Sepsis Alliance Pakistan and the Adoption of the Karachi Sepsis Declaration

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On November 19th, 2019, the Sepsis Alliance Pakistan (SoAP) was launched by a diverse group of 43 doctors in Pakistan, as well as the Karachi Sepsis Declaration adopted. Honorable Governor Sindh Imran Ismail himself signed the Karachi Sepsis Declaration at the Sindh Governor House, Karachi, Pakistan.

Karachi Sepsis Declaration

Commitment to Improve Sepsis Awareness, Early Recognition, Prevention, Care, and Research in Pakistan

Sepsis results when the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues leading to vital organ failure and critical illness if not managed early and appropriately. It is responsible for killing over 6 million people per year worldwide, claiming more lives than bowel and breast cancer combined.

Sepsis does not discriminate against age, gender, religion, social status or geographic borders. An estimated 60-80% of deaths in developing countries like Pakistan occur due to sepsis. Low standards of living, poor hygiene, malnutrition, limited access to healthcare facilities and weak health systems contribute to the disproportionately high morbidity and mortality from sepsis in our region.

We acknowledge that;

  • Despite the unacceptable number of deaths and disabilities caused by sepsis, the awareness of sepsis among healthcare providers and laypeople in the country is very low.

  • There is usually an unacceptable delay in recognizing sepsis and a wide variation in practice among doctors to treat sepsis.

  • Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are a major healthcare issue in the country.

  • National policies to improve prevention, recognition, and treatment of sepsis are lacking in Pakistan.

On November 19th 2019, members of various medical societies urge government authorities, policy makers, healthcare managers, professionals and philanthropists to help us to;

  • Promote Sepsis Awareness among lay people and healthcare workers, by commemorating World Sepsis Day every year on September 13th and throughout the year by focused activities.

  • Prioritize Sepsis Prevention by promoting practices of good general hygiene and hand washing, improvement in sanitation, clean deliveries and nutrition, and encouraging vaccination in high-risk groups.

  • Reduce the time-to-recognize sepsis by front line physicians and the variation in Sepsis Management in hospitals and intensive care units through undergraduate and postgraduate education and training of healthcare professionals.

  • Encourage hospital managements to adopt measures aimed at minimizing the risk of development and spread of AMR and HAI.

  • Facilitate collaborative Sepsis Research in the country through establishment of sepsis registries to document burden of disease in Pakistan and identify vulnerable groups and cost effective interventions to improve outcomes.

  • Guide policy makers formulate a National Action Plan to adopt the WHO resolution (WHA 70.7) of May 2017 for improving the prevention, diagnosis and clinical management of sepsis

We encourage representatives of various professional societies of physicians, surgeons, paediatricians, emergency and intensive care medicine, infectious diseases and microbiology, public health and nurses from government and nongovernment organizations to join hands with Sepsis Alliance Pakistan (SoAP) to fight sepsis in our country.

Marvin Zick