Sepsis is associated with one in five deaths worldwide¹, but only 20% of the Belgian population (including healthcare professionals) know that sepsis is an extreme immune system response to infection² – facts that Sepsibel is working hard to change. Michael Clarke, Sepsibel Board Member and sepsis survivor recently spoke to us about the progress Sepsibel has made, the charity’s next steps, and his own experiences suffering from sepsis.
"Sepsis has not only a human cost but a healthcare cost too. In the fight against sepsis, the Belgian National Sepsis Plan is an important first step. The challenge now and for the future is to ensure the plan’s effective implementation. Like the treatment of sepsis, no delay can be allowed."
Michael Clarke, Sepsibel Board Member and sepsis survivor- Every 2.8 seconds someone dies from sepsis³
- Up to 50% of sepsis survivors suffer from long-term physical and/or psychological effects⁴
- Between 47 and 50 million people are affected every year⁵
The statistics paint a bleak picture. However, awareness is starting to grow, and changes are ready to be implemented in the form of the Belgian Sepsis National Action Plan (Be-SNAP) which was published two years ago. Frank Vandenboucke, the Belgian Minister of Health, has promised to review the implementation of Be-SNAP. But there’s still a long way to go to turn the situation around.
Discover what the next steps are in our sepsis overview.
Belgium united against sepsis
What can we do to reduce the impact of this devastating condition? Discover more here.
References
¹https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)32989-7/fulltext
²https://www.sepsibel.be/en/algemeen/onderzoek-ivox-maar-1-op-de-5-belgen-weet-wat-sepsis-is/
³https://www.europeansepsisalliance.org/sepsis
⁴https://www.sepsis.org/sepsis-basics/post-sepsis-syndrome/
⁵https://www.europeansepsisalliance.org/sepsis
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