Dr. Mariam Jashi Addresses WHO Executive Board to Prioritize Sepsis

Dr. Mariam Jashi, CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance, addressed the 154th Session of the WHO Executive Board to prioritize sepsis in the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Agenda as well as the new draft global action plan for infection prevention and control (IPC).

For the advancement of the UHC Agenda, Dr. Jashi called the World Health Organization and Member States to urgently prioritize enforcement of the 2017 World Health Assembly Resolution on Sepsis (WHA70.7).

GSA’s CEO reiterated that “We cannot achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals and Universal Health Coverage targets without positioning sepsis in the mainstream of the global health architecture. Every year, this medical emergency affects 48 million people, is associated with 1 in every 5 deaths, and yet receives disproportionally low attention.”

In her second statement, Dr. Jashi commended the draft global action plan for IPC for its comprehensive approach but expressed concern that the document does not address evidence-based policies and programs for sepsis, as the final common pathway to death for many infectious diseases.

She reminded the members of the WHO Executive Board and the EB154 Delegates that every year, sepsis claims the lives of 11 million children, women, and men and that this immense human suffering is mostly preventable through IPC measures.

Finally, Dr. Jashi noted that less than 10% of the UN Member States have enforced the historic 70.7 Resolution of the World Health Assembly and recommended that the global action plan for IPC integrates recommendations and indicators for monitoring the implementation of the 2017 Sepsis Resolution.

Dr. Jashi participated at the WHO Executive Committee Meeting as the Secretary General of the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA), a Non-State Actor in official relations with WHO and one of the key partners of the Global Sepsis Alliance. GSA therefore extends gratitude to MWIA for this opportunity and positioning the cause of sepsis on the agenda of the WHO EB154.

Please see the full recordings of the 2 statements delivered by Dr. Jashi at the WHO Executive Board meeting in Geneva on January 24, 2024, above and below.