Response from international donors to meningitis epidemic unacceptably slow

Ouagadougou/Sydney - As a massive vaccination campaign is underway in Burkina Faso, the required funds for obtaining the missing vaccines are still largely insufficient. Médecins Sans Frontières, the international medical organisation that is supporting the authorities in the country in containing the epidemic and treating the meningitis cases, is urgently calling up donors to a further commitment of at least one million euros. This money is needed today for the purchase and transport of some 1.7 million vaccines and ad hoc consumables that are still blocked.

From the 3,350,000 vaccines made available to fight the spread of the disease, half of it is still blocked because of a lack of funds. One vaccine costs 0.50 euros per dose and if they aren’t shipped in the next few days, the impact of a vaccination campaign will be very limited. "The vaccines are there, the logistics are in place, the vaccination is underway, but the funds are missing,” explains Meinie Nicolai, Médecins Sans Frontières' operational director. “The current outbreak in Burkina Faso is beyond compare to what we have seen in previous years. Yet, in spite of the dramatic situation and in spite of the mobilisation by the Ministry of Health and humanitarian organisations, donors are not coming forward to further support this huge and lifesaving effort. The donors are unacceptably slow to commit enough.”

The meningitis epidemic that started in Burkina Faso at the end of February has now reached some 10,796 reported cases and has killed 801 people, according to the heath authorities. In support of the massive vaccination campaign done by the authorities, Médecins Sans Frontières has already vaccinated some 500,000 people and treated almost 400 cases in the capital Ouagadougou. The international medical organisation is preparing to increase its intervention in the country and to perform more vaccinations to prevent a widespread outbreak of the disease.

Meningitis is a highly contagious disease that kills up to half of the people infected if they don’t receive treatment in time. And even if treated early enough, serious neurological complications can occur in up to 20% of the cases. Meningitis is an infection of the membrane that covers the brain and spinal cord like a sheath.

For more information contact James Nichols, Médecins Sans Frontières Australia: 0407 525 700 or 02 8570 2600.