Published on : 11/09/2022 – 19:31
The WHO is concerned about the risk of a resurgence of meningitis as the season when infections are most frequent approaches, that is to say from January.
While group A meningitis had almost been eradicated, due to the Covid-19 pandemic which disrupted travel and vaccination campaigns in 2020 and 2021, 50 million children on the African continent could not be vaccinated against this form of the disease which can lead to death or brain damage.
Prevention, screening, surveillance of infectious outbreaks… In several countries, public health activities in the fight against meningitis were halved in 2020 compared to 2019, notes the WHO on the basis of reports transmitted by the countries.
Despite an improvement observed in 2021, the World Health Organization calls on the States concerned to quickly step up their prevention measures.
“Beating group A meningitis is one of the greatest medical victories in Africa. No cases have been detected on the continent in the past five years. But while the Covid pandemic has delayed the vaccination of more than 50 million children, there is a great risk that these advances will be lost. “, emphasizes theDr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Africa Regional Director.
Viral or bacterial meningitis is an inflammation of the membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. In 1996, an epidemic of type A meningitis killed 250,000 people, including 25,000 in a few months, on the continent.
In countries at risk, over a geographical belt that stretches from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east, the WHO calls for support for prevention and vaccination programs.
According to the organization, a billion and a half dollars will be needed in the next eight years to hope to overcome meningitis.