PASSPORT People: Meet Dr Viviana Pavlicich – Steering Group Clinical Representative
Dr Viviana Pavlicich is Head of Department at Hospital General Pediátrico Niños de Acosta Ñu in Paraguay, where she has dedicated more than 20 years to paediatric emergency medicine. Working in a public children’s hospital that cares for large numbers of patients from communities with limited resources, she combines clinical leadership with teaching — guiding university students, paediatric residents and emergency medicine fellows. Her work is shaped by the daily realities of caring for children who often face significant barriers to healthcare.
Head of Department, Hospital General Pediatrico Ni;os de Acosta Ñu (Paraguay)
Dr Viviana Pavlicich is Head of Department at Hospital General Pediátrico Niños de Acosta Ñu in Paraguay, where she has dedicated more than 20 years to paediatric emergency medicine. Working in a public children’s hospital that cares for large numbers of patients from communities with limited resources, she combines clinical leadership with teaching — guiding university students, paediatric residents and emergency medicine fellows. Her work is shaped by the daily realities of caring for children who often face significant barriers to healthcare.
How has sepsis touched your life and work?
Sepsis is a frequent and urgent challenge in my hospital. Because of barriers in education, healthcare access, transportation and vaccination, children often arrive with sepsis at varying stages of progression. Every day, at least one patient comes to our Emergency Department showing signs of sepsis.
From your country’s perspective — what is the biggest challenge in caring for children with sepsis?
The greatest challenge is improving the living conditions of the population — something beyond the reach of healthcare professionals. Within our influence, however, is education: empowering families and healthcare workers to recognise sepsis early, and strengthening the organisation of treatment at every level of care.
What do you hope this global project will achieve for children and families?
I hope this project reaches as many children and their families as possible, so they can understand how to prevent sepsis in every possible way, how to recognise it, and how to seek help early.
What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?
That I could have chosen to work with the wealthier population in my country (Paraguay), and my professional life would have been very different. But even as a foreigner, I chose to take on the challenge of working in public healthcare and education. That decision brought many difficulties throughout my professional life, but if I could go back 30 years, I would make the same choice again.
A favourite quote or saying
I draw inspiration from my father and grandmother, who faced life’s challenges with energy, serenity and optimism. They taught me that true strength lies not in avoiding hardship but moving forward with calm determination. As Albert Camus wrote:
‘In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.’
Anything else you'd like to share?
I love travelling to explore new places and cultures — observing how people live, what they believe in and what they fear. I also enjoy nature and spending time with my family.
PASSPORT People: Meet Dr Tom Solan – Clinical Lead
Dr Tom Solan is a Paediatric Emergency and General Paediatric Fellow at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne and a Research Fellow with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute’s Paediatric Sepsis Group. Originally from the UK, Tom has been based in Australia since 2017.
Paediatric Emergency Medicine Fellow, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne (Australia)
Dr Tom Solan is a Paediatric Emergency and General Paediatric Fellow at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne and a Research Fellow with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute’s Paediatric Sepsis Group. Originally from the UK, Tom has been based in Australia since 2017.
What is your lived experience of sepsis?
Sepsis has been a central part of my clinical work, caring for children and families in emergency and general paediatric settings where rapid recognition and treatment can be lifesaving. Through this work I’ve seen the profound impact sepsis has on patients and their families, from critical illness to long-term recovery challenges. These experiences have driven my commitment to research and collaboration in the paediatric sepsis space, aiming to improve care and outcomes for children worldwide.
What motivated you to Co-Lead the PASSPORT PSP?
Part of my broader research in paediatric sepsis and to help develop research priorities for larger scale trials.
What do you see as the biggest challenge in caring for children with sepsis in Australia?
Early recognition.
What do you hope this global project will achieve for children and families?
To develop priorities for research that are relevant, consumer and clinician focused so that we can hope to improve the journey for these families.
What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?
I always wanted to be a sprint hurdler, and somehow ended up in medicine!
Do you have a favourite quote that inspires you?
When you can’t see the way, all you need is enough light for the next step. (C.S. Lewis)
In the media: A/Prof Elliot Long on USA Fox News
Following the publication of Epidemiology of community acquired sepsis in children in Australia and New Zealand: a multicentre prospective cohort study, in The Lancet (July), Fox News health correspondent Dr Marc Siegel spoke with Associate Professor Elliot Long from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute about the global impact of paediatric sepsis and the urgent need for greater awareness.
Following publication of Epidemiology of community acquired sepsis in children in Australia and New Zealand: a multicentre prospective cohort study in The Lancet, Fox News health correspondent Dr Marc Siegel spoke with Associate Professor Elliot Long from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute about the global impact of paediatric sepsis and the urgent need for greater awareness.
A/Prof Long highlighted that sepsis remains a hidden global killer, claiming the lives of more than 3 million children every year.
He explained that early symptoms are often mistaken for common viral infections, making rapid recognition and treatment critical.
Professor Long called for greater awareness, improved therapies, and stronger support for survivors and families living with the long-term impacts of sepsis.
See the full story here:
Associate Professor Elliot Long is a paediatric emergency physician working at The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne.
He is the Sepsis Research Team leader at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, and an Associate Professor at The University of Melbourne .
He is also the Clinical Lead for the PASSPORT Trial and the Global Paediatric Sepsis Survey.
Shaping the Future of Paediatric Sepsis Research
The Paediatric Sepsis Research Priority Survey is inviting global participation to help identify key research areas in paediatric sepsis. This initiative aims to shape future studies and improve outcomes for children affected by sepsis worldwide. By contributing, patients, parents, carers and health care professionals can influence the direction of critical research to better understand and treat this serious condition in children.
Every year, an estimated 25.2 million children worldwide are diagnosed with sepsis — with 3.4 million tragically losing their lives. Sepsis remains one of the most urgent and devastating health challenges facing children globally.
To change this, a new initiative is underway: the Paediatric Adaptive Sepsis Platform Trial (PASSPORT). This groundbreaking trial is being designed to test multiple treatments for paediatric sepsis under a single, adaptive platform. By using cutting-edge trial methods, PASSPORT will:
Evaluate several treatments at the same time
Adapt based on results in real time, so children always receive the best evidence-based care
Accelerate the discovery of effective therapies for critically ill children
The trial will begin in 2027, enrolling children aged 1 month to 18 years across Australia and New Zealand, before expanding to include sites around the world.
Hear from members of our PSP Steering Group:
But what research questions are most important?
Before PASSPORT begins, we want to ensure that the research focuses on the questions that matter most to those affected by sepsis: patients, parents and carers, and health care professionals.
That’s why we’re partnering with the James Lind Alliance to run a Research Priority Survey. The survey will identify the top unanswered questions about paediatric sepsis and guide the PASSPORT trial to address them.
By taking part, you can help shape the future of sepsis research — ensuring the trial delivers answers that will truly improve outcomes for children.
Get involved
📅 The Research Priority Survey launches just in time for World Sepsis Day — Saturday 13 September.
Follow us on socials and share the survey
Together, we can reduce the global burden of paediatric sepsis and save young lives.