Cameroon
Association of Critical Care Nurses has continued in
their fight against sepsis with a sensitization campaign as part of activities
to mark the 2018 edition of World Sepsis Day.
Though observed 13 September
every year, activities to mark the day took place in Bamenda Friday 28 at the Bamenda
III Sub divisional Medicalised Hospital Nkwen popularly known as PMI.
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| World sepsis Day in Bamenda |
Suiyven
Elvis Dzelamonyuy General Secretary of Cameroon Association of Critical Care Nurses
during the sensitization addressed community sensitisers and some staff of PMI on
the signs, symptoms and prevention of sepsis which he described as silent
killer resulting from infections not handled on time.
The
General Secretary detailed that Sepsis is a life threatening emergency that is
caused by the body’s response to an infection that becomes systemic, injuring
its own tissues and organs. If not recognised early and treated promptly he
added, sepsis can lead to shock, multiple organ failure and even death. In
cases of severe sepsis, every hour that treatment is delayed the chance of
death increases. This he summarized as the “golden hour” which is a result of
the early recognition plus time sensitive treatment.
In
a supportive presentation, Abang Theresia General Supervisor harped on the fact
that Temperatures when higher or lower than are a signal to infections which
can result to mental decline and extreme illness.
The
sensitization meeting ended with a recommendation of basic hygiene cautiousness
and practices like effective hand watching. Suiyven Elvis Dzelamonyuy practiced
effective hand washing which can be a reasonable way of preventing infections.
Statistics
suggest that every year there are around 150,000 cases of sepsis, resulting in
44,000 deaths which are more than deaths from bowel, prostate and breast cancer
combined.
“We
are working hard with the Global Alliance for the fight against sepsis and the
World Sepsis Association to fight against sepsis… with the miss use of anti
biotics in our community we wnd up having patients who come to the health
facility after having taken a lot of antibiotics and now we are unavle to treat
them and because we are not able to treat them; the antibiotics we are giving
them is not working we refer to other hospitals and some end up dying because
they were already in the state of sepsis and they didn’t know how to manage the
infections from the beginning we are
making this sensitization to tell the population that when you have infections
stop doing auto medications.” Dr. Iwu David Emeka Chief Medical Officer of the hospital
noted.
World
Sepsis Days is an initiative by the Global Sepsis Alliance operated
as a collaborative effort with other organizations and individuals.
Experts
say “Sepsis is the common final pathway of all acute infections. It arises when
the body’s response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs. It may
lead to shock, multiple organ failure, and death, especially if not recognized
early and treated promptly.”
Sepsis
has as signs and symptoms, Slurred speech or confusion, Extreme shivering or
muscle pain, Passing no urine (in a day), severe breathlessness amongst others.