Turkish doctor honored for boosting education on sepsis

By Yesim Sert Karaaslan

ANKARA (AA) - A Turkish scientist has been honored for his work improving doctors' knowledge of sepsis, a condition that takes the lives of up to 8 million people worldwide every year.

Dr. Necmettin Unal, a professor at Ankara University in Turkey’s capital, received an award from the Global Sepsis Association for the work he did to help doctors better fight sepsis.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency on Friday, Unal said that sepsis is caused by organ dysfunction and organ failure as a result of the body’s uncontrolled or inadequate response to any infection, resulting in a high mortality rate.

"We have been honored with the Global Sepsis Award by the Global Sepsis Association, an important international organization in this field," he added.

Unal said they are working to update approaches to sepsis in medical schools, particularly at Ankara University.

"As the result of our recent work, doctors in training in Turkey will be better educated in the field," Unal said.

Since 2014, Unal has developed and conducted a sepsis education program for healthcare professionals with the participation of over 47,000 health care professional from 79 cities in Turkey.

Unal said they completed a study with Ankara University medical students and with the participation of 30 medical schools.

A study of 7,000 students found that 83.5% of first-year students had little knowledge of sepsis, much like the general public, he said.

The students’ definition of sepsis was outdated, he added.

The definition of sepsis has changed three times internationally since 2016.

The research found the information about sepsis should be updated and the educational contents revised accordingly.

*Writing and contribution by Dilara Hamit