WHO Indtroduces New Vaccine For Meningitis

A new vaccine against
meningitis has been introduced in Sub-Saharan Africa, by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
According to a statement by the United Nations (UN), Health Agency, the vaccine, Men-Afrivac is affordable and effective vaccine that would be injected into vulnerable children.
The statement said the vaccine would be included in the routine immunisation of children in hot spots across sub-Saharan Africa to help reduce fatalities associated with the disease.
The statement quoted the Director, Department of Immunisation Vaccines and Biologicals, Jean Marie Okeo-Belea, as saying the introduction of meningitis vaccine has dealt the epidemic a fatal blow. Nonetheless there is need for politic commitment on meningitis belt countries in Africa to contain the disease”.
She further said WHO has partnered with Global Health Non-Profit-PATH and Serum Institute of India Limited (SIIL) to fund the Meningitis Vaccine Project (MVP), adding that during the clinical trials in several African countries, Men Afrivac reduced new cases of meningitis inflection and deaths among children.
The Director MVP, Marie-Pierre Preziozi, was quoted in the statement, saying that health officials would ensure that population – wide protection was sustained by routinely immunising infants.
She said, “The new meningitis vaccine meets the international standard on quality, safety and efficacy and experts say it can be administered to one year old infants in meningitis hospitals”.
Also quoted was Director Vaccine Access and Delivery, Kathy Nenzil, now we have stand on the brink of protecting and entire generation from devastating disease, innovative public, private partnership and political commitment to fast-track the development of the vaccine for children.

Tonye Nria-Dappa

Provost ,College of Health Sciences, Prof C.I. Akani (right) congralutating Dr. Nuka Orage (left) at 35th induction ceremony of newly qualified medical Doctors at College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt recently Photo: Chris Monyanaga