WHO: Meningococcal Disease – situation in the African Meningitis Belt
23 March 2012
From 1 January to 11 March (epidemiologic week 10), outbreaks of meningococcal disease have been reported in 15 districts in Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. These outbreaks have been detected as part of the enhanced surveillance in the African Meningitis Belt conducted in 14 countries where a total of 6,685 suspected meningitis cases including 639 deaths have been reported… The countries are responding to these outbreaks by enhancing surveillance, reinforcing treatment of patients and implementing mass vaccination campaigns. The International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision for Epidemic Meningitis Control has approved the release of vaccines to respond. The ICG constitutes of UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and WHO. WHO continues to monitor the epidemiological situation closely, in collaboration with partners and Ministry of Health in the affected countries. The supply of the appropriate vaccine to respond to W135 outbreaks is presently limited, and WHO and UNICEF “are working closely with the vaccine manufacturers to ensure that this stock is maintained and adapted to the evolving outbreak situation.”
vaccines and global health :: ethics and policy 