With the approach of International Sepsis Day, statistics remind us of the severity of this global problem—one person dies from sepsis every three seconds, and one in five deaths is caused by sepsis. However, after September ends, the conversation about sepsis loses its relevance and is replaced by other, more “noisy” topics. The main challenge is to keep the focus on sepsis so that interest in this problem is not temporary. To address this, the Global Sepsis Alliance organized a webinar for media representatives on September 5th.
The main goal of the webinar was to provide journalists with reliable facts, real stories, and effective tools that would help them raise public awareness. In the one-hour meeting, experts, sepsis survivors, and activists highlighted the alarming reality: despite the high frequency of fatal outcomes, public interest is insufficient. The severity of this disease is most felt by vulnerable groups (children, women, the elderly, and the immunocompromised) and in countries with limited resources.
The webinar emphasized that deaths caused by sepsis are often preventable with early diagnosis, timely treatment, and adherence to appropriate protocols. The statistics on sepsis are alarming and exceed the number of deaths from heart attacks or strokes, yet it still does not find its rightful place on the public health agenda. Out of 194 countries, only 15 have a national strategy for managing sepsis, which creates major gaps in prevention, treatment, and awareness.
Journalists were urged to actively get involved in solving this problem and, by drawing constant attention to sepsis, to turn it from a “silent killer” into a recognized medical emergency. In response to this challenge, the webinar presented the “5 Facts x 5 Actions” model. The five facts reflect the global burden of sepsis and its severe consequences, while the five actions offer a plan for prevention, treatment, policy, and advocacy.
