Dr. Jashi Calls on WHA79 to Prioritize Sepsis in Pandemic Agreement

Yesterday, May 18, at the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, the CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA), Dr. Mariam Jashi, called for stronger recognition of sepsis within the evolving global health emergency preparedness architecture.

Addressing ongoing negotiations around the Pandemic Agreement, GSA emphasized that sepsis remains a major but underrecognized consequence of infectious disease outbreaks and pandemics. Drawing on lessons from COVID-19 — during which 78% of intensive care patients developed sepsis — the intervention highlighted the urgent need to integrate sepsis prevention and management into future pandemic preparedness and response frameworks.

The statement called for stronger global efforts in risk communication, surveillance, workforce capacity building, and investment in research and innovation, including vaccines, antimicrobial therapies, diagnostics, and pathogen-agnostic immunology approaches.

Through its engagement at WHA, GSA continues to advocate for sepsis to become a visible and prioritized component of global health policy discussions and emergency preparedness strategies.