Meningitis: Largest vaccination campaign ever

Several countries in West Africa are facing a major meningitis epidemic; hundreds of Médecins Sans Frontières /Ministry of Health teams are mobilised to treat and to vaccinate. In Nigeria, Niger and Chad, Médecins Sans Frontières is working with the health authorities to carry out vaccination campaigns for a total target population of around 8 million people.

Meningitis epidemics are a well-known scourge in the countries of West Africa, which form part of the “meningitis belt”. But this year, the epidemic has reached a large scope. According to the official national figures, more than 1600 people infected with the disease have died since the beginning of the year in the two most affected countries, Nigeria and Niger. The epidemic trend is still on the rise in some places. The number of cases is now declining in the areas that were first affected and where vaccination campaigns have been carried out. But new areas are just crossing the epidemic level.

The worst epidemic in years
In Nigeria, this is the worst meningitis epidemic the country has experienced since 1996. Médecins Sans Frontières is working in close partnership with the Ministry of Health in nine states. “There are numerous epidemic hotspots all across northern Nigeria”, describes Dounia Dekhili one of the Médecins Sans Frontières Emergency Coordinators in the field, “the situation evolves rapidly, but the number of deaths remains relatively low”. More than 37 000 cases of meningitis have been recorded by the joint Médecins Sans Frontières and Ministry of Health teams who are visiting health facilities to review patients and organise drugs supplies when necessary and collect data. On average, meningitis kills half of the infected people if not treated and one out of ten if treated. But it appears that during this epidemic, the bacteria are more sensible to treatment and 97% of the patients survive.

Niger is relatively less affected but the epidemic is spreading in some southern areas. Médecins Sans Frontières teams working with the Ministry of Health are treating patients suffering from meningitis and are vaccinating in the Dosso, Maradi and Zinder regions. A total of 4,591 meningitis cases and 161 deaths have been registered in these areas so far.

Massive vaccination “The initial plan was very different that what we’re facing right now” explains Ramón Arrieta, head of the Médecins Sans Frontières emergency intervention in Dosso region, “the epidemic has spread to others zones so we have had to adapt our activities to the changing situation and vaccinate in new areas”. The means are huge. For example, in Zinder region only, 8,000 ice packs need to be frozen each night to be used by the 65 vaccination teams of 5 people each. One team can vaccinate up to 1500 people per day. The target population is aged from 2 to 30 years.

In total, more than 2,7 million people have already been immunised (1,1 million in Nigeria and 1,6 million in Niger) and additional campaigns for around 5,5 million people are on going or planned in Nigeria, Niger and Chad. Usually, in one area, the number of meningitis cases drop two weeks after the vaccination campaign.

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 West Africa hit by worst meningitis epidemic in years - 29-04-09 10:26