According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria has become the first country to introduce a new meningitis vaccine, Men5CV.
This is a significant development for Nigeria as the country is among the areas most affected by meningitis.
WHO reported a 50% increase in cases last year across 26 African countries identified as hyperendemic for meningitis.
The Director-General of WHO, Tedros Ghebreyesus, expressed optimism about the rollout, stating, “Nigeria’s rollout brings us one step closer to our goal to eliminate meningitis by 2030.”
Data from Nigeria released by WHO reveals 1,742 suspected cases and 153 deaths across seven states, attributed to meningitis, from October last year to the middle of March this year.
This new vaccine initiative is expected to play a pivotal role in controlling and eventually eradicating the disease in the region.
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