Global Sepsis Alliance at 2023 World Health Summit and Bundestag Meetings

Dr. Mariam Jashi, designated CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance, and Prof. Konrad Reinhart, Founding President of the GSA, represented our Alliance at the 2023 World Health Summit and related side events at the German Parliament.

  • Dr. Jashi as the Global Board Member of the UNITE Parliamentarians Network moderated a working meeting at Bundestag on October 16 “Investing in a Healthier Future: unlocking Resources for Innovation in Infectious Diseases”. Dr. Marison Touraine – Chair of the UNITAID Board and the Former Minister of Social Affairs and Health of France was the Key Speaker at the event with an introductory presentation by Dr. Teodora Elvira C. Wi – Lead on Global HIV, Hepatitis, and STIs Programmes at WHO. The meeting was attended by Hon. Ricardo Baptista Leite – President of the UNITE Parliamentarians Network, Dr. Andrew Ulmann - Chair of the Global Health Sub-committee of the German Parliament, honorable members of Parliament from France, Germany, North Macedonia, and Ukraine, as well as civil society partners (AHF, CEPI). Prof. Reinhart stressed the importance of investing in evidence-based policies and innovations for a stronger global sepsis response, including through advocacy at the levels of Parliaments, Governments, and public-private partnerships.

  • On October 17, GSA representatives participated in the second working meeting at the German Parliament with UNITAID, GAVI, Global Fund, AHF, and WHO. The meeting discussed the outcomes of the High-Level Meetings on UHC and the Pandemic Accord convened on the margins of the UN General Assembly session in September 2023. Prof. Reinhart and Dr. Jashi reiterated the urgent need for stronger positioning of Sepsis in the high-level Global Health dialogue, as without adequate response to Sepsis, health-related SDHs and related aspirations for UHC and the Pandemic Accord cannot be achieved.

  • Finally, Dr. Jashi was among the distinguished Speakers at the WHS side event organized by the Virchow Foundation for Global Health, Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung, and the German Health Alliance on Women Global Health. 2023 Virchow Prize Laureate Prof. Leke delivered the Keynote Speech. The meeting Chaired by Hon. Hermann Gröhe – Member of Parliament and Former Federal Minister of Health of Germany brought together prominent global health leaders, including Catharina Böhme – Assistant Director General of WHO, and Roland Göhde – CEO and Co-founder of the Virchow Foundation. The Designated CEO of the GSA used this unique opportunity to highlight the human and economic burden of Sepsis and the need for a reinvigorated global agenda.

As informed earlier, the GSA, in partnership with 6 co-sponsor agencies, hosted the High-Level Luncheon on Sepsis on the margins of the 2023 World Health Summit.

Katja Couball