Nigeria has taken a significant step in combating a meningitis outbreak that has claimed over 70 lives and infected more than 800 people across several states.
The country has received over 1 million meningitis vaccine doses from Gavi-funded global stockpile, which will enable the launch of an outbreak response campaign targeting individuals aged 1-29 years, the most severely affected group.
The campaign will initially focus on Kebbi and Sokoto States, with plans to expand to Yobe State as additional doses arrive.
Nigeria is one of the hotspots of meningitis in Africa, with at least 1,700 cases reported last year, resulting in over 150 deaths in seven states.
Meningitis is a deadly disease that causes inflammation of the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
It can be caused by viral or bacterial infections and spreads mainly through close contact, such as kisses, sneezes, coughs, and living in close quarters.
The vaccines received from Gavi will help protect Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations, particularly children and young adults.
The country became the first in the world to roll out the new Men5C vaccine against meningitis last year, which has been hailed as a “revolutionary” breakthrough in combating the disease.
The outbreak response campaign is a collaborative effort between the Nigerian government, Gavi, the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF.
The campaign aims to contain the outbreak and prevent future epidemics, ultimately working towards eliminating meningitis by 2030.
