Today, 13 September, is World Sepsis Day and we are all still working hard at preventing, managing, and preventing maternal sepsis. Our colleagues from Philippines have been working especially hard at putting together a country-wide awareness campaign to “avoid infection during pregnancy and save lives.” The campaign came about upon findings from implementation of GLOSS:
- 45% of women who participated in the study had an infection, yet its primary source was not identified
- 48% were diagnosed based on clinical examination
- 15% were diagnosed based on laboratory tests
- 55% of the women had an infection on the day of admission to the hospital
- 45% developed an infection while already in the hospital
In addition, a maternal death review of 108 women found that 9% of deaths in the Philippines were due to sepsis.
This is why the Philippines Department of Health in collaboration of the Philippine Infectious Disease Society for Obstetrics and Gynaecology (PIDSOG), and the Philippine Hospital Infection Control Society (PHICS) are leading a country-wide campaign that will target primary care providers and institutions using posters and education. Congratulations, Philippines!
Join the global community in raising awareness on sepsis. Follow this link for materials to use in your facilities and work settings.