Nigeria has become the first country in the world to introduce Men5CV, a revolutionary new vaccine against meningitis, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.

The WHO press release quoted the organization's Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, as saying that the new vaccine could change the course of this deadly disease, which is considered a mortal enemy. It could prevent new outbreaks and save lives. According to Mr. Ghebreyesus, Nigeria's introduction of the Men5CV vaccine will help people get closer to the goal of eliminating meningitis by 2030.

According to WHO, Men5CV vaccine provides strong protection against the five main strains of meningococcal bacteria A, C, W, Y and X in a single injection. Men5CV offers broader protection than the current vaccines used in most African countries, which are only effective against strain A. In 2023, the number of reported meningitis cases in Africa is expected to increase by 50% and the disease is at risk of appearing everywhere in the world, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, which is known as the “African meningitis belt”.

As one of 26 countries in Africa with high rates of meningitis, Nigeria has been sponsored by the Gavi vaccine alliance for a nationwide Men5CV vaccination programme from March 25 to 28. The programme has initially reached more than one million people aged 1-29. The programme was launched after a meningitis outbreak in the country that killed 153 people from October 1, 2023 to March 11, 2024.

GIA BAO