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São Paulo Declaration

Sepsis – the Major Cause of Preventable Death and Disability in Latin America

A Call for Action to Reduce the Burden of Sepsis

Sepsis is a major cause of preventable deaths in Latin America (LATAM) countries and is the most common cause of death from infection. During the Latin-American Sepsis Institute meeting in São Paulo, Brazil, on the 30th of May 2018, delegates representing 16 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. The delegates supported the following declaration:

Noting that sepsis is recognized as a global health priority by WHO Resolution WHA A70 / 13 of 2017 and that member nations are urged to adopt national policies to improve the prevention, recognition and treatment of sepsis;

Recognizing that despite the unacceptable number of deaths and disabilities caused by sepsis, 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, universities 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 ineqality,
• 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 of sepsis.

São Paulo, May 30^th, 2018.