Sepsis is a life-threatening condition and a common final pathway to death from many infectious diseases, including bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections.

It therefore deserves a prominent place in the communicable disease agenda.

Globally, Sepsis affects nearly 50 million people each year and is responsible for one in every five deaths worldwide—many of them preventable. It disproportionately impacts low- and middle-income countries and vulnerable populations such as newborns, children, women, and the elderly.

Despite its significant burden, Sepsis remains under-recognized in global health strategies. Integrating Sepsis into communicable disease policies and programs is essential for strengthening infection prevention and control measures, including immunization, WASH, and antimicrobial stewardship.

Prioritizing Sepsis is also fundamental to building health system resilience and achieving universal health coverage and pandemic preparedness goals.