The Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF) recently praised the successful vaccination program for meningitis in Africa that has saved countless lives and seen the meningococcal Group A (MenA) virtually disappear from the continent.
“We congratulate MVP (
the Meningitis Vaccine Project) on their outstanding success in providing vaccination at affordable prices in such a resource poor area of the world,”
MRF Chief Executive
Vinny Smith said. “This has saved so many lives. It is part of the continuing story of the triumph of vaccination as a public health measure throughout the world.”
Approximately 220 million people have received MenA vaccinations as part of the campaign. Most of these people live in the country’s Meningitis Belt, which includes 16 countries.
Earlier in 2015, health professionals reported there were no new MenA cases. The worst epidemic occurred in 1996 and 1997, when 250,000 people contract MenA infections. Of those, 25,000 people died in a matter of months.
“However, we note the World Health Organization’s warning that the story of meningitis is far from over in Africa,” Smith said. “Although MenA is now under control, other strains of the disease present a clear danger to people on the continent, as shown by the emergence of epidemic meningococcal C meningitis in Niger and Nigeria.”
