Saving lives by stepping up Africa's response to sepsis

Saving lives by stepping up Africa's response to sepsis

Sub-Saharan African ConsorTium for the Advancement of Innovative Research and Care in SepsisSub-Saharan African ConsorTium for the
Advancement of Innovative Research
and Care in Sepsis
Pictures & Impressions
Pictures & Impressions
Sub-Saharan African ConsorTium for the Advancement of Innovative Research and Care in Sepsis
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Sepsis

is life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection.

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13.7 million

Number of people worldwide whose cause of death was sepsis in 2019.

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30% of deaths
from sepsis

Sub-Saharan Africa bears the greatest burden of sepsis worldwide.

Director:
Dr. Nathan Kenya-Mugisha
Walimu, Kampala, Uganda

Co-Directors:
Professor Dr. Konrad Reinhart
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
Professor Dr. Torsten Feldt
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Germany

Chief Scientific Officer (CSO):
Dr. Shevin Jacob
Walimu, Kampala, Uganda

Deputy CSO:

Dr. Tafese Tufa
Arsi University, Asella, Ethiopia

Our Program

With eight African and two German partner institutions, STAIRS aims to save lives through innovative sepsis research in sub-Saharan Africa. We leverage our existing networks and seek new partners to …

  • address vital knowledge gaps in sepsis epidemiology, diagnosis and care quality
  • strengthen research capacity
  • translate emerging evidence to policy

Our Team


1
Sierra Leone
Njala University, Bo

2
Ghana
Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi

3
Nigeria
University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu

4
Ethiopia
Arsi University, Asella

5
Uganda
Walimu, Kampala

6
Uganda
Makerere University - Infectious Diseases Institute, Kampala

7
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Catholic University of Bukavu, Bukavu

8
Mozambique
Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Maputo

9
Germany
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin

10
Germany
University Hospital of Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf

Our Areas of Work

High-quality research in Sub-Saharan Africa - Icon
High-quality research in Sub-Saharan Africa
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High-quality research in Sub-Saharan Africa
The research initiative encompasses five tasks aimed at enhancing the understanding of and response to sepsis in sub-Saharan Africa. STAIRS will:

Assess the burden of sepsis in the community.

Establish a multinational patient cohort of adults and children.

Refine and evaluate the role of an electronic quality improvement mobile application on in-hospital sepsis care.

Evaluate a novel comprehensive sepsis panel.

Evaluate the role of post-discharge strategies on survival.

Strengthening capacity for sepsis research and care - Icon
Strengthening capacity for sepsis research and care
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Strengthening capacity for sepsis research and care
Stairs will:

Sponsor early career researchers.

Build technical and institutional research capacity, including for clinical trials on sepsis.

Explore the use of telemedicine to improve clinical care.

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Networking inside and outside the consortium
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Networking inside and outside the consortium
STAIRS will:

Establish a robust sepsis research network across sub-Saharan Africa.

Strengthen sepsis programs and initiatives across sub-Saharan Africa.

Enable engagement between industry partners and policymakers.

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Policy engagement and research transfer
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Policy engagement and research transfer
STAIRS will:   

Align with the WHO resolution “Improving the prevention, diagnosis and clinical management of sepsis”.

Translate evidence to sepsis-relevant policies across the network.

Approach stakeholder engagement across the network holistically and inclusively.


Our Partners

To increase impact, STAIRS will collaborate with external organizations, institutions and industry partners.

Recent Activities

News
Event

STAIRS Consortium Holds 3rd Annual Meeting

The STAIRS Consortium convened its 3rd Annual Meeting in Maputo, Mozambique, from 17–21 November 2025, bringing together representatives from all participating countries alongside inv...
Nov 21, 2025

STAIRS Consortium Holds 3rd Annual Meeting

Maputo, Mozambique

The STAIRS Consortium convened its 3rd Annual Meeting in Maputo, Mozambique, from 17–21 November 2025, bringing together representatives from all participating countries alongside invited experts and stakeholders committed to strengthening sepsis research and implementation.


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The STAIRS Consortium convened its 3rd Annual Meeting in Maputo, Mozambique, from 17–21 November 2025, bringing together representatives from all participating countries alongside invited experts and stakeholders committed to strengthening sepsis research and implementation.

The meeting attracted over 100 participants on the opening day alone, underscoring the strong engagement and shared commitment across the consortium. It provided a key opportunity to review progress on STAIRS implementation, exchange country experiences, and reflect on emerging lessons from ongoing activities across diverse health systems.

The official opening ceremony was led by Dr. Eduardo Samo Gudo, Director General of the National Institute of Health (NHI) Mozambique. In his address, he underscored the importance of collaboration and coordinated action in advancing efforts to combat sepsis, emphasizing that sustained teamwork remains central to achieving meaningful public health impact.

Beyond the formal proceedings, the meeting also showcased elements of Mozambican culture during the opening ceremony, adding a rich and unifying dimension to the event and reinforcing the spirit of regional solidarity.

A key feature of the program was the first expert roundtable discussion, which brought together leading specialists, including Dr. Shaving, to deliberate on implementation progress, scientific evidence, and strategic priorities for strengthening sepsis interventions within participating countries.

As host Principal Investigator for Mozambique, Dr. Ivalda Macicame provided an overview of the country’s implementation journey during her remarks. She highlighted progress made to date, shared practical field experiences, and reaffirmed Mozambique’s commitment to advancing the STAIRS agenda in close collaboration with consortium partners.

The meeting reaffirmed STAIRS as a critical platform for fostering cross-country learning, strengthening research-to-practice translation, and accelerating collective action against sepsis across the region.

News
Event

STAIRS Second Annual Consortium Meeting, January 13-17, 2025

We keep climbing! The second annual consortium meeting of the STAIRS consortium in Kumasi, Ghana, was graciously hosted from January 13-17, 2025, by STAIRS PI in Ghana Dr. Johna Adabie ...
Nov 14, 2025

STAIRS Second Annual Consortium Meeting, January 13-17, 2025

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The network comes together for the Second Annual consortium meeting in Kumasi, Ghana (January 2025)

We keep climbing! The second annual consortium meeting of the STAIRS consortium in Kumasi, Ghana, was graciously hosted from January 13-17, 2025, by STAIRS PI in Ghana Dr. Johna Adabie Appiah, together with his amazing team from Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. We were especially grateful to welcome the president of the Global Sepsis Alliance, Prof. Niranjan Tex Kissoon, and Dr. Janet Diaz from WHO in Geneva!

News
Event

EIDM Training in DRC, July 2024

Completing the tour of the network, AFIDEP visited our DRC country team for Evidence-informed decision training in July....
Nov 14, 2025

EIDM Training in DRC, July 2024

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Completing the tour of the network, AFIDEP visited our DRC country team for Evidence-informed decision training in July.

News
Event

EIDM Training in Ghana, July 2024

The Ghana STAIRS team was also visited by our partners from AFIDEP in July. Evidence-informed decision training!...
Nov 14, 2025

EIDM Training in Ghana, July 2024

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The Ghana STAIRS team was also visited by our partners from AFIDEP in July. Evidence-informed decision training!

News
Event

EIDM Training in Ethiopia, July 1-5, 2024

Upwards and onwards! The STAIRS team in Ethiopia invited our partners from AFIDEP to the beautiful Rift Valley to conduct the evidence-informed decision training in July. The team broug...
Aug 07, 2024

EIDM Training in Ethiopia, July 1-5, 2024

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Upwards and onwards! The STAIRS team in Ethiopia invited our partners from AFIDEP to the beautiful Rift Valley to conduct the evidence-informed decision training in July. The team brought together a group of 19 stakeholders to strengthen capacity for translating sepsis research findings into policy in Ethiopia.

News
Event

EIDM Training in Nigeria, June 2024

Our STAIRS team in Nigeria was the next team to undergo evidence-informed decision training in June, facilitated by AFIDEP. The UNTH team acquired skills on evidence synthesis and stake...
Aug 07, 2024

EIDM Training in Nigeria, June 2024

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Our STAIRS team in Nigeria was the next team to undergo evidence-informed decision training in June, facilitated by AFIDEP. The UNTH team acquired skills on evidence synthesis and stakeholder engagement to optimize the translation of research outputs to policy in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest country by population.

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