GSA Celebrates Launch of Caribbean Sepsis and AMR Alliance
The Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA) is pleased to announce the successful launch of the Caribbean Sepsis and AMR Alliance, at a historic event hosted by the University of the West Indies on May 26.
The Caribbean Sepsis and AMR Alliance is established under the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago and support from co-founding members from Jamaica, Barbados, and Guyana.
GSA looks forward to making a historic breakthrough in the sepsis response in the region in close collaboration with the founding members of the Caribbean Alliance and the continued leadership of Prof. Niranjan “Tex” Kissoon - GSA President.
The Caribbean Sepsis and AMR Alliance will be the 6th official regional representation of the Global Sepsis Alliance and GSA will host the official website of the Caribbean Alliance.
“A Caribbean where Sepsis is recognized early and treated effectively, thereby reducing deaths and improving patient outcomes.”
The launch event of the Caribbean Sepsis and AMR Alliance, hosted by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine Campus on May 26, featured a series of insightful presentations from leading scholars and public health experts.
The event commenced with opening remarks from Professor Hariharan Seetharaman - Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of West Indies, Professor Mala Rao - Senior Clinical Fellow of Imperial College London, and a representative of EarthMedic and EarthNurse Foundation for Planetary Health.
Dr. Satish Jankie - Lecturer of the University of the West Indies, introduced the mission and objectives of the Caribbean Sepsis and AMR Alliance. The mission of the Alliance is to reduce the incidence and mortality of sepsis through improved awareness, early detection, and effective treatment.
The current state of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Caribbean was presented by Dr. Rajiv Nagessar - Medical Officer in Microbology presenting data and strategies to mitigate this growing problem.
Dr. Darren Dookhiearam - Senior Medical Officer of the Ministry of Health of Trinidad and Tobago focused on Sepsis in the Community Setting, offering insights into the Surviving Sepsis Campaign and focused on the importance of timely detection and timely antibiotic treatment.
In his presentation, Dr. Dale Ventour – UWI Lecturer in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care explored Sepsis in the Intensive Care Unit, sharing the challenges and management of sepsis and highlighting the reasons why the establishment of the Caribbean Alliance is important.
Dr. Lisa Benjamin – UWI Lecturer in Veterinary Public Health discussed the Anti-Microbial Resistance in Veterinary Medicine, highlighting the interconnectedness of human and animal health.
The program continued with a Keynote Address by Prof. Niranjan 'Tex' Kissoon, President of the Global Sepsis Alliance. Prof. Kissoon highlighted the critical importance of the unified approach to combat Sepsis and AMR worldwide and expressed his enthusiasm for the new alliance and stronger regional collaboration for combating sepsis and improving patient outcomes.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Dr. Sandeep Maharaj, Director of the School of Pharmacy at the University of West Indies. He reiterated the significance of the Caribbean Sepsis and AMR Alliance and thanked all the participants and speakers for their valuable contributions.
The Caribbean Sepsis and AMR Alliance represents a unified effort to address the burden of sepsis in the region and is one step closer to improving healthcare across the Caribbean.
The Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA) congratulates the Caribbean Sepsis and AMR Alliance on its launch and looks forward to close collaboration with the healthcare leaders in the region to address the burden of sepsis and AMR.