The São Paulo Declaration and the Surge of Sepsis-Related Declarations and Resolutions over the Last Months

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In late May, the Latin American Sepsis Insitute (LASI) hosted the XV Fórum Internacional de Sepse in São Paulo, Brazil. At this meeting, recognized international champions and important stakeholders on sepsis drafted the São Paulo Declaration, especially focused on Latin American (LATAM) countries. Delegates from 8 LATAM countries called for urgent action by governments, healthcare workers, and the community to support national and international commitments to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of sepsis and to dedicate human and financial resources to these goals. Please show your support for these important goals by signing and supporting the São Paulo Declaration (pasted in full below).

The delegates support the following declaration:

Noting that sepsis is recognized as a global health priority by the WHO Resolution of 2017 and that member nations are urged to adopt national policies to improve prevention, recognition and treatment of sepsis;  

Recognizing that despite the unacceptable number of deaths and disabilities caused by sepsis, the awareness of sepsis among healthcare providers and lay public in LATAM countries is very low;

Stressing that there is wide variation among LATAM settings regarding healthcare services to treat sepsis;

Identifying that hospital-acquired infections and antimicrobial resistance are a major healthcare issue in LATAM countries;

We urge government authorities, policy makers, healthcare managers, professionals, and associated societies to:

  • endorse the WHO Resolution on Sepsis and establish national action plans to prevent sepsis, to enhance early recognition and management in a continuous effort to improve access to care and adequate resources and to reduce inequity,
  • focus on sepsis prevention by providing adequate sanitation, vaccination to at-risk groups and adequate nutrition, as well as reducing maternal and pediatric deaths,
  • cooperate in partnership to ensure adequate sepsis treatment in all nations, through undergraduate and post graduate training of healthcare professionals focused on improving outcomes in both patients and survivors, recognizing that the establishment of adequate national policies to treat sepsis in one country will clearly benefit other nations,
  • promote sepsis awareness among lay people and healthcare workers including recognizing World Sepsis Day (September 13th) as a national date
  • implement measures aimed at minimizing the risk of the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance and hospital-acquired infections,
  • promote collaborative research to further understand the burden of sepsis as well as to identify local perspectives and priorities for adequate recognition and treatment.

The São Paulo Declaration is remarkable, and is another stepping stone towards national sepsis plans being implemented in all countries worldwide, significantly decreasing sepsis cases and the corresponding mortality, as well as raising awareness of sepsis. 

Over the last months, powerful news on sepsis awareness and policy change have reached us from all around the world:

Of course, none of this is a coincidence. These activities are the direct result of the WHO Resolution on Sepsis, which made sepsis a global health priority last year. It is very inspiring to see so many organizations worldwide coming together to face this threat. However, this is not only necessary, but absolutely crucial, and we are not there yet. You may rest assured that we and our devoted partners from all around the world will continue fighting sepsis until our vision "A World Free of Sepsis" has become reality!

Marvin Zick