Nigeria has achieved a landmark in global health by becoming the first country to deploy the newly recommended World Health Organisation (WHO) vaccine, Men5CV, which offers protection against five strains of the Meningococcus bacteria. This initiative marks a significant step in the fight against meningitis, particularly in the African Meningitis Belt, where Nigeria is among the 26 hyper-endemic countries.
The WHO highlighted the introduction of the Men5CV vaccine as a historic development. It is designed to combat multiple strains of the meningococcal bacteria—A, C, W, Y, and X—providing broader immunity than previous vaccines that targeted only one strain. This comprehensive vaccine, leveraging technology similar to the MenAfriVac® that eradicated Meningococcus A epidemics in Nigeria, offers hope for substantial reductions in meningitis cases and progress toward its eventual elimination.
Funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the vaccine rollout coincides with a surge in meningitis cases across Africa, with a reported 50% increase in 2023 alone. In response to a specific outbreak in Nigeria, which led to over 1,700 suspected cases and 153 deaths, a critical vaccination campaign was launched in late March 2024, initially reaching over a million people aged 1-29 in the most affected states.
Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO’s Director-General, praised the rollout as a pivotal moment in the global effort to eliminate meningitis by 2030. He underscored the vaccine’s potential to prevent outbreaks and save lives.
Similarly, Nigeria’s Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, emphasised the country’s preparedness and community support for the vaccine’s introduction, particularly highlighting the active involvement of local leaders like the Emir of Gumel in Jigawa, who personally initiated the vaccination campaign.
This significant advancement not only addresses the urgent needs arising from recent outbreaks but also positions Nigeria as a leader in global health security, paving the way for future immunisation expansions to combat this deadly disease further.
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