Every pregnant woman and newborn baby is at risk of an infection that could lead to sepsis, even death.
Thus, the Department of Health (DOH) announced today its collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) on the Global Maternal and Neonatal Sepsis Initiative, which aims to accelerate the reduction of preventable maternal and neonatal deaths related to sepsis.
Maternal sepsis continues to be a leading cause of death for women and newborns, according to the WHO. The Global Sepsis Alliance says that sepsis can cause 100,000 maternal deaths and kills more than 1 million newborns. In the Philippines in 2016, around 1,786 Filipino women died due to direct maternal causes; 10% of this or 179 women died of sepsis.
Maternal sepsis has been defined by the WHO as “a life-threatening condition defined as organ dysfunction resulting from infection during pregnancy, childbirth, post-abortion, or post-partum period.” Accordingly, WHO has launched the Global Maternal and Neonatal Sepsis Initiative to address this critical condition and at the same time, foster alignment, collaboration, research, innovation and advocacy efforts globally. A critical part of this collaboration is the Global Maternal Sepsis Study (GLOSS). The study aims to test and validate this new definition in 54 countries around the world.
“Sepsis is an ever-present challenge in every hospital and birthing facility especially in the GIDA and IP areas, but we have the opportunity to save the lives of mothers and newborns in our care by working together to stop it. We are pleased to be partnering with WHO to tackle this life-threatening condition on a global scale. By participating, we will ensure that vital data from the Philippines are included in this important study,” according to Secretary of Health Francisco Duque III.
In the Philippines, eligible women will be identified over the course of one week (from November 28 until December 4, 2017) prompting a coordinated data collection effort in all the sites. Data collected from this study will be used to assess the burden and current management of maternal and early neonatal sepsis.
Nine Manila-based hospitals are taking part in this initiative: Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, Dr. Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Tondo Medical Center, Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center, Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center, Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital, Ospital ng Sampaloc, Ospital ng Tondo and Sta. Ana Hospital.
“The World Health Organization recognizes the urgent need to pay more attention to this life-threatening but not-so-well-known condition,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of WHO. “We hope that the results of this study will improve our understanding of the prevalence of maternal sepsis, and how it is prevented and treated around the world.”
Although sepsis is life-threatening, it can be stopped if identified early and treated promptly. “Reducing maternal mortality and ending preventable deaths of newborns are essential to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 which refers to ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages,” Secretary Duque concluded. | DOH-PR