2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis for Attaining Sustainable Development Goals

Medical Women’s  International Association (MWIA) in partnership with the Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA), UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health (UNITE) and Sepsis Stiftung is convening a side-event in parallel to the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly to highlight the critical importance of Sepsis for the attainment of SDGs and to present the newly launched 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis.

Introduction – Sepsis and SDGs

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of mortality, disability and healthcare expenditures worldwide, accounting for approximately 20% of all annual deaths. This global health threat affects 48.9 million people every year, including 20.3 million children and 5.7 million women during pregnancy, delivery, or postpartum. According to the latest estimates from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), Sepsis is responsible for 13.7 million deaths annually, including 4.95 million deaths associated with or attributable to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and related aspirations for Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health (MNCH), UHC, AMR, and Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPPR) cannot be achieved without robust actions against Sepsis at national, regional and global levels.  A reinvigorated Sepsis response is essential to accelerate progress towards health-related SDG 3 as well as 8 other Sustainable Development Goals.

Objectives of the Side Event

• To present the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis, as the first multi-year global strategy how to alleviate the significant human, societal, economic and healthcare burden of Sepsis.
• To reach consensus on the urgent need for reinvigorating the Sepsis responses at global, regional and national levels for the attainment of 2030 SDGs including the aspirations for Universal Health Care, Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health, AMR, Pandemic PPR, Gender Equality, Peace and Partnerships for Development.
• To discuss the critical role of healthcare workers, especially the medical women, representing over 70% of health workforce globally, in the promotion and implementation of the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis, and
• To call for establishment of a High-Level Political Platform for Sepsis to lead integration of this global health threat into the mainstream of health and development dialogue and architecture, including G7 and G20 Summits, World Health Assemblies, UN General Assemblies, and World Economic Forums.

The side-event will include interventions and presentations from the following distinguished speakers:

• Hon. Ricardo Baptista Leite – President, UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health
• Prof. Konrad Reinhart (on-line) – President, Sepsis Stiftung
• Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi – President, Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA)
• Hon. Mariam Jashi – CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance, MWIA Secretary-General, and UNITE Global Board Member
• Ciaran Staunton (on-line) – Founder, END SEPSIS, The Legacy of Rory Staunton
• Thomas Heymann – President and CEO, Sepsis Alliance
• Michael Wong – Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health and Safety (PPAHS)

The meeting will be moderated by Dr. Connie Newman – MWIA Vice-President for North America and Representative to the United Nations.

Co-sponsors of the side-event

• Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA)
• Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA)
• UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health (UNITE)
• Sepsis Stiftung