PATH [to 27 February 2016]
http://www.path.org/news/index.php

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Press release | February 22, 2016
Meningitis A nearly eliminated in Africa through vaccination, reaching more than 235 million people
Officials at Addis conference plan transition from mass campaigns to use in childhood immunization programs to prevent resurgence of deadly epidemics.
Addis Ababa, 23 February 2016—Global vaccine experts and officials from all 26 African “meningitis belt” countries have convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to celebrate one of Africa’s biggest public health achievements—the introduction of a vaccine, MenAfriVac®, designed, developed, and produced for use in Africa, that in five years of use has nearly eliminated serogroup A meningococcal disease from meningitis belt countries and is now being integrated into routine national immunization programs.

Cases of the deadly infectious disease went from over 250,000 during an outbreak in 1996 to just 80 confirmed cases in 2015 among countries that had not yet conducted mass immunization campaigns and among those unvaccinated, scientists at the Meningitis Vaccine Project (MVP) Closure Conference reported.

At the same time, they announced that eight countries have applied for funding to start integrating this lifesaving vaccine into their national childhood immunization programs.

“Our great success against meningitis A is by no means permanent,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. “To sustain the protection that has been afforded to date against meningitis A, all at-risk countries must finish conducting vaccination campaigns and begin incorporating the vaccine into routine childhood immunization programs.”

The MVP Closure Conference organized by WHO and the international global health nonprofit PATH, is taking place just before the Ministerial Conference on Immunization in Africa…