Call for Experts for ASCEND-Africa Delphi Consensus Process, deadline 3 July

Breakout session to discuss progress and solutions for the ongoing reserach tasks at the second annual STAIRS consortium meeting in Kumasi, January 2025

The ASA is delighted to share the opportunity to take part in a Delphi Study in which your expertise and input will shape the care of sepsis patients in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study is within the STAIRS (Sub-Saharan African ConsorTium for the Advancement of Innovative Research and Care in Sepsis) research programme and is titled: ‘Building Consensus on the Design of a Multi-site Phase IIb Study Aimed at Assessing the Feasibility of Integrating Near-Patient Diagnostics and Bedside Clinical Assessment into Sepsis Care in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Delphi Study’

The STAIRS Algorithm-guided Sepsis Care, Evaluation, and Near-patient Diagnostics in Africa (ASCEND-Africa) programme aims to gather consensus on the design of a personalised sepsis management algorithm that aims to incorporate point-of-care tests and bedside, haemodynamic assessments, and the design of a Phase IIB feasibility study assessing this algorithm in four sub-Saharan African countries (DRC, Ethiopia, Uganda, Sierra Leone).

STAIRS investigators are looking for experts to join the initial 3-round online Delphi process. Rounds will have a 30-day interval and take place from June 2026 to September 2026. We are looking for experts that identify as any one of:

  • A clinician managing adult sepsis with demonstrable experience of sepsis–related research, education or policy/protocols development

  • A healthcare worker from a resource-limited setting that has worked within and outside intensive care units

  • A statistician with trial design expertise for randomised controlled trials

  • A health policy maker or advisor from sub-Saharan Africa

  • A patient or caregiver representative from sub-Saharan Africa.

  • A researcher and/or clinician with expertise in sepsis diagnostic platforms and/or tests.

We believe this work is closely aligned with the mission of the ASA to improve sepsis outcomes worldwide through collaboration, research, education, and advocacy. The proposed algorithm and feasibility trial are intended to address key challenges in sepsis recognition, diagnosis, and management in resource-constrained settings and are expected to have direct relevance for patients and healthcare systems globally.

If you are interested in contributing to design of this unique multicountry clinical trial and meet any of the above criteria, please follow this link, where you can find both the Participant Information Sheet and electronic consent form from which you can register your interest.

As there is only a finite number of panel positions, we may not be able to offer participation to everyone who registers. We aim to inform applicants of their expression of interest within two weeks of the closing date, which is 5pm GMT on Friday 3 July.

If you have any questions regarding the Delphi process or the ASCEND-Africa programme, please contact Dr Shevin Jacob (shevin.jacob@lstmed.ac.uk), Director and Chief Scientific Officer of STAIRS.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to improve the care of sepsis care in sub-Saharan Africa.

Simone Mancini