On a global scale, postpartum infections affect nearly eleven out of every 1,000 new mothers, and alarmingly, these infections jeopardize the women’s well-being, potentially leading to severe organ dysfunction and even death. An even more disquieting fact reported in the 2020 Global Maternal Sepsis Study (GLOSS) by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is that all these fatalities are preventable.
One such stark example is of Grace Nalwoga, a new mother from Uganda, whose joy of childbirth quickly turned into a tormented existence by a ruthless postpartum infection. Her health deteriorated rapidly following a fever, indicative of a severe maternal infection that ultimately escalated into sepsis, a deadly condition where the body’s response to infection wreaks havoc on its own tissues and organs. Grace’s tale and countless others spotlight the risks new mothers face, specifically the threat of sepsis associated with maternal mortality. This peril is rampant not only in Africa but in numerous parts around the globe due to inconsistent adherence to primary hygiene and treatment protocols in hospitals.
WHO underscores three pivotal aspects necessary to prevent maternal sepsis, namely stringent hand hygiene, early detection, and prompt treatment. To illustrate the effectiveness of said protocols, Alice Kambalame’s story of battling and overcoming post-surgical infection after a caesarean section carried out in Malawi draws a compelling comparison against Grace’s harrowing encounter. A key differential factor between Grace’s narrow brush with death and Alice’s swift recovery is a structured approach towards infection prevention and control, a solution unveiled in a groundbreaking study.
This study, a collaborative research initiative by WHO, the UN’s Special Programme in Human Reproduction (HRP), and the University of Liverpool, demonstrates that adopting a systematic approach can curtail severe maternal infections and related fatalities by more than 30 percent. The research encompassed a massive group of over 431,000 women across 59 hospitals in Malawi and Uganda and paved the way for the inauguration of the Active Prevention and Treatment of Maternal Sepsis (APT-Sepsis) programme.
Essentially, the programme aims to empower healthcare professionals to bridge existing care gaps by reinforcing WHO’s ‘five moments for hand hygiene’, implementing evidence-based guidance on infection prevention, and adhering to the ‘FAST-M treatment bundle’ that involves fluids, antibiotics, source control, transfer when necessary, and consistent monitoring. The results of the APT-Sepsis initiative were remarkable, with hospitals recording a 32 percent drop in infection-induced maternal deaths and serious ill-health. Observable improvements were reported in areas such as hand-hygiene compliance, the use of antibiotic prophylaxis during C-sections, and routine vital sign monitoring to identify infections at an early stage.
Dr Jeremy Farrar, assistant director-general at WHO, lauds the APT-Sepsis initiative as a testament to the power of a united effort involving science, policy, and direct care. He emphasizes that the reduction of maternal infections and resulting deaths by more than 30 percent is a clarion call for worldwide health systems to prioritize infection prevention in maternal care, thereby ensuring the proliferation and continuity of these life-preserving practices in all healthcare settings. For mothers like Alice, the implementation of APT-Sepsis presents a beacon of hope for the prevention of postpartum infections and assures prompt and effective care, should sepsis occur.
Encouraged by its success in Malawi and Uganda, WHO and its associates hope to amplify this model within national healthcare systems across the globe. As Grace watches her son with gratitude, she hopes that her experience can serve as a foundation of awareness and influence change to preclude such distressing situations for others. She views the prospect of other mothers getting to see their children grow due to the newly adopted care protocol as a triumph in itself.
Tags: Postpartum Infections, Maternal Sepsis, Infection Prevention Protocols, Worldwide Healthcare Implementation
Source: https://www.trtafrika.com/english/article/adbf74b09efa