Niranjan ‘Tex’ Kissoon, President of the Global Sepsis Alliance, and Louise Thwaites and Michael Wong, Program Chairs, are honored and excited to officially open the registrations for the 2024 WSC Spotlight on April 23, 2024.

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“We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to thousands of colleagues joining us from across the globe for yet another exceptional opportunity to delve into and exchange insights on the newest trends, advancements, and innovations in the field of sepsis practice and research.”

— Niranjan ‘Tex’ Kissoon, President GSA

Dr. Niranjan ‘Tex’ Kissoon

As always, the 2024 WSC Spotlight will be free of charge and completely virtual, enabling broad participation from all parts of the world. For years, the WSCs have engaged between 8,000 and 20,000 scholars and practitioners from more than 180 countries.

Over one day and 9 highly relevant sessions, over 40 internationally renowned speakers, panelists, and moderators will address the role of AI, predictive modeling in sepsis, the need for early diagnosis and treatment of sepsis in surgical patients, the role of biomarkers, personalized approaches to sepsis management, how hypervolemia increases the mortality risk in sepsis, community programs to prevent and diagnose sepsis, and much more.

Whatever topic and speaker is most relevant to you, the Program Chairs Louise Thwaites, Board Member of the GSA and APSA, and Michael Wong, Founder and Executive Director of PPAHS, are excited to welcome you on April 23.

Dr. Louise Thwaites

Michael Wong

Just as with our previous World Sepsis Congresses in 2016, 2018, 2021, and 2023, and WSC Spotlights in 2017, 2020, and 2022, this free online congress brings together highly ranked representatives of international and national healthcare authorities, non-governmental organizations, policymakers, patients, patient advocacy groups, clinical scientists, researchers, and pioneers in healthcare improvement.

In a landmark meeting held on December 15, 2023, at the Africa CDC headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, representatives from the African Sepsis Alliance, the Sub-Saharan African ConsorTium for the Advancement of Innovative Research and Care in Sepsis (STAIRS), and the Africa CDC convened to address the pressing issue of sepsis on the continent.

The meeting, attended by ASA Chair, Dr. Emmanuel Nsutebu, and Dr. Shevin Jacob representing both ASA and STAIRS, emphasized the need for urgent action against sepsis in Africa.

Participants recognized that Africa bears the highest burden of sepsis globally. Despite a World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution in 2017, minimal action has been taken to improve the prevention, recognition, and management of sepsis on a large scale, in stark contrast to efforts in Europe and North America.

Highlighting the crucial role of accurate data, the meeting underscored that current registries, such as DHIS2, do not systematically capture sepsis cases. Initiatives like the African Research Collaboration on Sepsis (ARCS) and STAIRS are working to address this knowledge gap.

The need for the active involvement of Ministers of Health, supported by Africa CDC, was emphasized. Suggestions included incorporating sepsis discussions into existing meetings or convening an extraordinary session during the International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA).

The participants stressed the need to engage WHO AFRO, leveraging the 2017 WHA resolution on sepsis, and recognizing the pivotal role the organization plays.

Priority Action Points

Agreed action points included declaring sepsis a regional priority, developing national action plans, generating data and research evidence from Africa, including sepsis as an indicator for the quality of care, and seconding someone from ASA to work alongside Africa CDC.

Agreed Action Plan

Acknowledging the urgency of the situation, the stakeholders formulated a concrete action plan:

• Update the new Africa CDC Director-General about discussions and collaboration agreements by January 2024.

• Identify Africa CDC focal points/champions and share contacts by January 2024.

• Finalize and co-publish a draft policy brief on sepsis by January 2024.

• Organize a joint meeting with WHO AFRO by January 2024.

• Develop a corporate agreement between GSA/ASA and Africa CDC by March 2024.

• Work with regional directors of public health institutes to organize a high-level sepsis meeting at the international CPHIA in Rabat in 2024 by June 2024.

• Work on the secondment from ASA to Africa CDC after the corporate agreement and explore potential funding sources by June 2024.

With these action points in place, the participants collectively declared, "Enough of action plans, it's time for action," emphasizing the imperative for swift and meaningful progress in the fight against sepsis in Africa.

As we come to the end of 2023, we want to thank you – our supporters in Africa and all over the world – for all the work you have done with the African Sepsis Alliance to save lives in Africa over the past year. The work you did made a profound difference.

We have had a very successful year despite several challenges. Our thoughts are with our colleagues from Sudan, who celebrated World Sepsis Day by keeping sepsis improvement activities going despite the devastating war in Sudan. To all our members who continue to save lives amid war in other parts of the continent, you are our heroes!

Please find below summary highlights of last year’s activities:

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In 2024, our priority will be to reorganize parts of the governance of the African Sepsis Alliance because we acknowledge that "what has got us here is unlikely to get us to where we need to be…".

We have very ambitious plans as outlined below:

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Our priorities for the next year will therefore be to:

• Identify funding and appoint a program coordinator/executive director to work with Africa CDC to deliver our collaborative plan

• Declare sepsis a health priority for the African continent and develop national action plans for as many countries as possible

• Support the STAIRS collaboration and support the transformation of the outputs into improvements in policy and clinical care

We wish you the very best as you celebrate Christmas and New Year with your families.

World Sepsis Day on September 13 is fast approaching, and to mark the occasion, we have gathered leaders across the African Continent and globe to discuss sepsis improvement and what is required to prevent, recognize, and manage sepsis in Africa.

Africa is the continent with the highest burden of disease related to sepsis with nearly 17 million cases and 4 million deaths each year. In 2017, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted resolution 70.7 on “Improving the prevention, diagnosis and clinical management of sepsis” which urges member states to integrate sepsis management in their national health systems. Unfortunately, despite the disproportionate burden of sepsis in Sub-Saharan Africa, there have not been any large-scale efforts to implement the WHA resolution in Africa. Collective and concerted action is urgently needed to save lives and avoid deaths from sepsis, and African institutions need to lead these efforts.

The aim of the webinar is to raise awareness about the urgency for action and discuss a way forward with key stakeholders.

World Sepsis Day on September 13 is fast approaching, and to mark the occasion, we have gathered leaders across the African Continent and globe to discuss sepsis improvement and what is required to prevent, recognize, and manage sepsis in Africa.

Africa is the continent with the highest burden of disease related to sepsis with nearly 17 million cases and 4 million deaths each year. In 2017, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted resolution 70.7 on “Improving the prevention, diagnosis and clinical management of sepsis” which urges member states to integrate sepsis management in their national health systems. Unfortunately, despite the disproportionate burden of sepsis in Sub-Saharan Africa, there have not been any large-scale efforts to implement the WHA resolution in Africa. Collective and concerted action is urgently needed to save lives and avoid deaths from sepsis, and African institutions need to lead these efforts.

The aim of the webinar is to raise awareness about the urgency for action and discuss a way forward with key stakeholders.

Join us as our experts discuss and propose a way forward for sepsis improvement in Africa.

Preregistration is not required – simply click and follow the link provided to join the webinar.

On April 25 and 26, 2023, World Sepsis Congress will return – and registrations are now open.

Over the course of two days and 16 highly-relevant and unique sessions, over 80 internationally-renowned speakers will share the newest research and insights into sepsis, pandemics, antimicrobial resistance, and – most importantly – how they are linked.

As always, the 4th WSC will be free of charge and completely virtual, enabling broad participation from all parts of the world.

Just as with the previous World Sepsis Congresses and WSC Spotlights, this free online congress brings together highly ranked representatives of international and national healthcare authorities, non-governmental organizations, policymakers, patient advocacy groups, clinical scientists, researchers, and pioneers in healthcare improvement.

We are thrilled to invite you to the free webinar ‘Learn About Sepsis and Save Lives in Africa’ on November 22, 2022, at 4 PM Central Africa Time.

The webinar is a collaboration between the World Continuing Education Alliance (WCEA) and the ASA and will feature the following speakers and presentations:

• Epidemiology of sepsis in Africa – presented by Evariste Mushuru, Rwanda

• Sepsis definition and diagnosis – presented by Romeo Bayode, Gabon

• Causes of sepsis in Africa – presented by Patrick Katoto, Democratic Republic of Congo

• Sepsis – initial management – presented by Appollinaire Manirafasha, Rwanda

• Sepsis management in ICU – presented by Kamal Osman, Sudan

• Sepsis improvement and management – the role of nurses – presented by Halima Salisu, Nigeria

The event will be moderated by our very own Emmanuel Nsutebu, Founder and Chair of the ASA, and Board Member of the Global Sepsis Alliance.

How to Register

If you already have a WCEA Account:

1. Log into the WCEA App or LMS

2. Go to ‘Events’ on the Homepage

3. Register for the webinar and you will receive a Zoom invitation via email

For new users:

1. Go to https://wcea.education/register/

2. Find your organization and fill out the registration form. You will receive your username and password via email

3. Download the WCEA app or log into the LMS here: https://cpd.wcea.education

4. If your organization is outside our partners, please create your account from here: Join the Webinar Platform

The consequences of delayed diagnosis and treatment of sepsis can be devastating for patients, their loved ones, and healthcare workers. Mismanagement of sepsis leads to unavoidable harm and can cause reputational damage to any healthcare facility.

Sepsis improvement initiatives are often initiated after a major patient safety incident or crisis. In addition, sepsis improvement can feel like a struggle. However, struggles are gifts and can be used to bring about significant change and success. If you have been affected by sepsis or trying to bring about improvements in care, is it possible to emerge from your darkest moments into a bright and better future for yourself and others? The answer is yes!

In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Emmanuel Nsutebu shows that these are all possible. Tragedy struck when his close friend passed away due to sepsis (uncontrolled and undiagnosed infection) following a minor hospital procedure. He uses the story of this crisis to describe his subsequent work which has led to life-saving changes to sepsis recognition and management in the UK and Africa.

You will learn Dr. Emmanuel’s Five-Step Model for turning struggles into success. Everybody can learn this essential skill, and the more you practice the better you will become. Dr. Emmanuel’s Five Step model can be used successfully by individuals, teams, or large organizations. Everybody and indeed every leader needs this skill.

The proceeds from the sale of this book via our website will be used to support the work of the African Sepsis Alliance. Everybody in Africa deserves a chance to survive sepsis.

Today is World Sepsis Day – countless events in all parts of the world are raising awareness for sepsis today.

In addition to joining local WSD Events, we have collected some last-minute activities on the World Sepsis Day website…

On September 16, 2022, the Global Sepsis Alliance and the Sepsis Stiftung will join forces to host a unique event celebrating a decade of World Sepsis Day – both in person in Berlin, as well as live streamed on the event website.

Following a scientific symposium with renowned speakers from all over the world and an international best-practices panel, we will celebrate the achievements of the past 10 years, present the Global Sepsis Awards, and conclude this unique World Sepsis Day event with a fundraising dinner, featuring international artists who share our commitment to the vision of “A World Free of Sepsis”.

We are excited to welcome you to Berlin in person in September or see you on the free live stream for the symposium and the best-practices panel.

Today, our friends and colleagues from the Global Sepsis Alliance are thrilled to officially announce the WSC Spotlight: Novel Therapeutic and Diagnostic Approaches for COVID-19 and Sepsis, taking place live, free of charge, and completely online on April 27, 2022.

Over the course of 8 distinctive and highly relevant sessions, 40 speakers from all regions of the world will share the newest therapeutic and diagnostic approaches for COVID-19 and sepsis, covering all novel aspects of our understanding of bacterial and viral sepsis, from new methods of diagnosis and risk assessment to novel treatment modalities, and beyond.

Like our previous World Sepsis Congresses in 2016, 2018, and 2021 and WSC Spotlights in 2017 and 2020, this free online congress brings together highly ranked representatives of international and national healthcare authorities, non-governmental organizations, policymakers, patients, patient advocacy groups, clinical scientists, researchers, and pioneers in healthcare improvement.

RSA executives, from left to right: Dr Menelas Nkeshimana (Secretary General), RN Christine Uwineza (Deputy Communication and membership officer), Dr Aurea Nyiraneza (Communication and membership officer), Dr Evariste Mushuru (Chair), Dr Emmanuel Nsutebu (ASA Chair and RSA advisory Board member), Dr Aimee Nyiramahirwe (Deputy Director of Finances), Dr Jean Paul Mvukiyehe (Vice Chair), Dr Vincent Ndebwanimana (Deputy Executive Director), Dr Hippolyte Muhire Bwiza (Executive Director).

On 27 October, at a conference in Kigali organised in the context of the Sepsis 2021 Symposium, the Rwanda Emergency Care Association (RECA) launched the Rwanda Sepsis Alliance (RSA) with the aim to respond to the need of reducing the burden of sepsis in the country. Despite significant improvements in Rwanda’s health system and efforts made by the Government of Rwanda mainly through the Ministry of Health (MoH) in improving the healthcare system, sepsis still claims many lives in Rwanda.

RSA plans to achieve its mission trough the promotion of research, education and training, organizing sepsis awareness campaigns targeting healthcare professionals and lay people, supporting antibiotic stewardship programs and advocating to invest and build necessary infrastructures for improving sepsis prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

The ASA will closely collaborate with and support the RSA and we are looking forward to contributing to improve sepsis awareness and treatment in Rwanda. Read the Kigali declaration announcing the RSA below.

Sepsis is a significant cause of illness and the most preventable cause of death in Africa. Everybody in Africa deserves to be able to survive sepsis. This can only be achieved by involving and educating the public. This video explains what sepsis is and features our patron Roger Milla requesting that we all learn about sepsis and save lives in Africa.

Today is World Sepsis Day - countless events in all parts of the world are raising awareness for sepsis today.

In addition to joining local WSD Events, we have collected some last-minute activities on the World Sepsis Day website…

Registrations for “Sepsis 2021: Rethinking Sepsis in Resource-Constrained Settings: The Viewpoint from Africa” are now open.

The Sepsis 2021 Symposium is co-hosted by the International Sepsis Forum, the African Sepsis Alliance, and the Rwandan Emergency Care Association. Over two days, it will address the diagnosis, epidemiology, science, and clinical management of sepsis, taking into account both the situation in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) as well as the current COVID-19 situation.

This conference will be mostly virtual and focus on sepsis care worldwide, but especially care in LMICs.

It will also provide a unique opportunity to hear from and engage with international and African thought leaders from the fields of critical care, infectious diseases, internal medicine, and emergency medicine, who have extensive expertise in the clinical care, science, and investigation of sepsis and the host response, and in the design, implementation, and interpretation of clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of sepsis treatments. The current COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on sepsis will also be discussed.

Sepsis 2021 will be held 28-29 October, and we invite you to join us for this annual event.

The 10th World Sepsis Day is less than 3 months away! The African Sepsis Alliance encourages you to participate and raise awareness for sepsis on September 13 – ideas and inspiration to host the perfect event are available on the World Sepsis Day website…

The Sepsis 2021 Symposium, co-hosted by the International Sepsis Forum, the African Sepsis Alliance, and the Rwandan Emergency Care Association, will address the diagnosis, epidemiology, science, and clinical management of sepsis including that in low and middle-income countries and the current COVID-19 situation.

This conference will be mostly virtual and focus on sepsis care worldwide especially care in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

It will also provide a unique opportunity to hear from and engage with international and African thought leaders from the fields of critical care, infectious diseases, internal medicine, and emergency medicine, who have extensive expertise in the clinical care, science, and investigation of sepsis and the host response, and in the design, implementation, and interpretation of clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of sepsis treatments. The current COVID-19 pandemic and impact on sepsis will also be discussed.

The Sepsis 2021 will be held 28-29 October, and we invite you to join us for this annual event.

The African continent has so far registered a relatively controlled burden of COVID-19. One reason could lie in the low average age in the continent, as it is well known that COVID-19 related risk and comorbidities raise with the age. The limited test capacity could also play a role.

Despite the uncertainty about the burden of the pandemic in Africa, studies have shown that sepsis is definitely contributing to it. Either caused directly by the SARS-CoV-2 or by secondary bacterial infections, sepsis is a recurrent manifestation of COVID-19 in about 5% of cases.

Those patients require critical care, but in Africa, the health system response is hampered by its limited capacity (there are fewer than 2,000 functioning ventilators).

The African Sepsis Alliance calls for national Ministries of Health, with the support of stakeholders such as the Global Sepsis Alliance, CDC Africa, the African Union, and WHO national action to deliver plans for sepsis that systematically address a country’s specific needs for delivering care for severely ill patients.

On May 3rd and 4th, 2021, the Pacific Northwest Sepsis Conference will bring high-quality sepsis education to an international community of people interested in improving sepsis care and outcomes.

This year, the conference was redesigned to take place virtually and is therefore addressing the burden of sepsis on a global scale. In addition to faculty who are experts in global sepsis care, there will also be traditional sepsis content with breakout sessions for QI professionals, rural health care providers, and bedside champions in pediatrics, acute care, critical care, emergency care, and maternal/neonatal care.

The Washington State Hospital Association and Pacific Northwest Sepsis Conference Planning Committee are committed to hosting a diverse and inclusive group of learners. They are offering a generous number of scholarships for international attendees from specific countries (list here) as well as traditional scholarships.

Applications for the scholarship are available here. The application deadline is April 20, 2021, and applicants will be notified and given a code to register by April 25, 2021.

If you seek a scholarship and are not practicing in one of the countries on the list, please apply for a Traditional Scholarship (deadline March 12, 2021) or email Rosemary Grant.

Today, the Global Sepsis Alliance has announced the ‘World Sepsis Congress 2021 - Advancing Prevention, Survival, and Survivorship of Sepsis and COVID-19’, taking place live, free of charge, and completely online on April 21st and 22nd, 2021.

Over the course of two days and 15 diverse and highly relevant sessions, over 90 speakers from more than 30 countries will give trenchant talks on all aspects of sepsis, from the impact of policy, the role of artificial intelligence and big data, patient safety, and long-term sequelae through to novel trial design, the latest research, and much more. We will give equal voice to clinicians and researchers, patients and caregivers, and policymakers; as well as to those working, living, and driving change in high-income and in low- and middle-income countries.

Just as with the previous World Sepsis Congresses in 2016 and 2018 and WSC Spotlights in 2017 and 2020, this free online congress brings together highly ranked representatives of international and national healthcare authorities, non-governmental organizations, policymakers, patients, patient advocacy groups, clinical scientists, researchers, and pioneers in healthcare improvement.