Nigeria has taken a big step in fighting meningitis by introducing a new vaccine called Men5CV. This vaccine protects against five types of meningococcus bacteria and is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). It's a significant move in tackling meningitis, especially in Africa where Nigeria is one of the countries most affected.
Last year, meningitis cases in Africa increased by 50%, showing the urgent need for better solutions. In response to a serious outbreak of meningitis in Nigeria, health officials launched a vaccination campaign from March 25th to 28th, 2024, aiming to vaccinate over a million people aged 1-29 years.
Meningitis is a dangerous infection that affects the membranes around the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms can be severe, including headache, fever, and neck stiffness. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, believes the new vaccine could save many lives and help prevent future outbreaks, moving us closer to the goal of eliminating meningitis by 2030.
“Meningitis is an old and deadly foe, but this new vaccine holds the potential to change the trajectory of the disease, preventing future outbreaks and saving many lives,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Nigeria’s rollout brings us one step closer to our goal to eliminate meningitis by 2030.”
The Men5CV vaccine protects against five common strains of meningococcus in one shot, which is better than older vaccines that only target one strain. Developed through a 13-year partnership between PATH and the Serum Institute of India, with support from the UK government, the vaccine has already proven successful in Nigeria in tackling meningitis outbreaks.
Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate of the Nigerian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare emphasized the importance of the vaccine, especially in regions like Jigawa, Bauchi, and Yobe, which were hit hard by meningitis outbreaks.
“Northern Nigeria, particularly the states of Jigawa, Bauchi and Yobe were badly hit by the deadly outbreak of meningitis, and this vaccine provides health workers with a new tool to both stop this outbreak but also put the country on a path to elimination,” said Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate of the Nigerian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. “We’ve done a lot of work preparing health workers and the health system for the rollout of this new vaccine.
The collaboration between the WHO and Nigeria's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has been crucial in responding to the outbreak and getting ready for the vaccine rollout. Dr. Nanthalile Mugala of PATH believes the new vaccine will make a big difference in Africa's fight against meningitis, offering hope for a future without the disease's devastating impact.