Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Mariam Ileyemi
Published on 2024-04-12 21:46:15
Nigeria has set a remarkable milestone as the first country in the world to introduce a new vaccine, Men5CV, designed to protect individuals against five strains of the meningococcus bacteria. This groundbreaking vaccine, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), is anticipated to revolutionize the trajectory of meningitis disease and avert future outbreaks.
The procurement and execution of the vaccine and emergency vaccination campaigns have been made possible through funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Gavi supports the global meningitis vaccine stockpile and facilitates routine vaccination against meningitis in lower-income countries. Data from WHO reveals that Nigeria documented 1,742 suspected meningitis cases, including 101 confirmed cases and 153 fatalities across seven states between October 1, 2023, and March 11.
The outbreak of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C primarily accounted for these reported cases. Nigeria is identified as one of the 26 meningitis hyper-endemic countries in Africa, with the continent experiencing a 50% surge in annual meningitis cases in 2023. To combat this dire situation, a vaccination campaign was initiated by WHO from March 25 to 28, targeting over one million individuals aged 1-29 years.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, emphasized the importance of this new vaccine in reshaping the course of the disease and preventing future outbreaks, stating that Nigeria’s adoption is a significant step towards the global goal of eradicating meningitis by 2030. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, highlighted the vaccine’s role in halting the outbreak and propelling the country towards elimination.
The UK Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, lauded the rollout of one million vaccines in northern Nigeria, recognizing its life-saving potential and impact in achieving the global target of defeating meningitis by 2030. The new Men5CV vaccine provides comprehensive protection against five major strains of the meningococcal bacteria, far surpassing the coverage of the current vaccine utilized in much of Africa, which is specific to the A strain.
Developed over a span of 13 years, the new multivalent conjugate vaccine is a result of a collaboration between PATH and the Serum Institute of India, with funding support from the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO). This innovative vaccine utilizes the same technology as the meningitis A conjugate vaccine, MenAfriVac, which played a pivotal role in eradicating meningococcal A epidemics in Nigeria.
Meningitis, characterized by the inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, poses a severe health risk with multiple causative agents, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Bacterial meningitis, in particular, can lead to rapid deterioration and potentially fatal outcomes within 24 hours of infection.
In response to the outbreak in Nigeria, WHO has been actively supporting the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) by bolstering disease surveillance, case identification, testing, and management. The introduction of the Men5CV vaccine marks a significant stride in the global fight against meningitis and underscores the collaborative efforts essential for protecting communities worldwide from this debilitating disease.
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