SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan has supported a call at Westminster for the government to commit to a new public awareness campaign aimed at tackling the deadly disease sepsis.
Also referred to as blood poisoning or septicaemia, sepsis is a life-threatening and relatively unknown condition which claims the lives of 44,000 people – including 1,000 children – every year in the UK.
Sepsis can affect anyone – young and old, fit and healthy.
It is triggered by an infection or injury – and can lead to shock, multiple organ failure, and death, especially if it is not recognised early and treated promptly.
In a bid to reduce deaths from the deadly disease, the Foyle MP has joined up with UK Sepsis Trust and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Sepsis to call for both the public and healthcare professionals to be more aware of this ‘silent killer’.
Mr Durkan said: “While sepsis is a condition which may not hit the headlines, it is deadly.
“If timely interventions proposed by the UK Sepsis Trust were adopted across the NHS it could save up to 12,500 lives a year and the NHS money.
“I was keen to show my support for efforts to tackle this disease and save lives. I want to see sepsis viewed as a medical emergency and have a higher profile among medical professionals and the public.
“The easiest and most effective way of doing this is for the government to commit to a dedicated public awareness campaign for the general population.”
Dr Ron Daniels, Chief Executive of the UK Sepsis Trust, said: “We hope that the event will allow MPs to learn more about sepsis and take the message back to their colleagues and constituents.
“An awareness campaign is something we’ve been calling for a long time. It is an absolute necessity that this campaign is dedicated on sepsis and aimed at both adults and children.”
To find out more about sepsis or to support the campaign for greater public awareness visit www.sepistrust.org
