WHO and France convene high-level meeting to defeat meningitis

Globally leaders stress the need to defeat meningitis – the leading cause of disability – at a high-level meeting jointly organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of France, under the high patronage of Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic. The event takes place from 26-27 April 2024 at the Institut Pasteur and is supported by prominent athletes who are championing the cause ahead of the Paralympic Games in Paris.

Building on news of the successful launch in Nigeria of a new, safe and highly effective vaccine targeting five major strains of bacterial meningitis in Africa, leaders pledged to implement a global roadmap to “Defeat meningitis by 2030“, which needs a catalyst investment to work. This revolutionary plan takes a holistic look at how to detect, control and defeat meningitis in every region of the world and how to provide rehabilitation to those who have suffered from this deadly disease.

“Bacterial meningitis kills one in six people it affects and leaves one in five with long-term disability. Yet many of these deaths and disabilities are vaccine-preventable,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “A commitment to defeat meningitis by 2030 will not only save lives, but also save billions of dollars in health costs and lost productivity.”

Meningitis is a deadly and debilitating disease; it attacks rapidly, causes serious health, economic and social consequences and affects people of all ages in all parts of the world. Meningitis outbreaks disproportionately affect people living in an area known as the “meningitis belt,” which consists of 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

“Meningitis is fatal in half of untreated cases, but vaccines have dramatically reduced outbreaks like meningitis A in Africa,” said Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi. “New, effective vaccines targeting the five leading strains, such as Men5CV recently introduced in Nigeria, are reaching high-risk countries. Gavi's continued support of the Multivalent Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine Program, along with the necessary donor funding for our next five years of work, is critical to the continued introduction of the vaccine to high-risk countries.”

Roadmap “Beat Meningitis by 2030.” is an innovative approach that allows all stakeholders to work together to address all aspects of the disease. If fully funded and implemented, the plan could prevent nearly 3 million cases of meningitis and at least 900,000 deaths by 2030, saving US$4-10 billion in medical costs and billions in indirect costs over the decade.

The roadmap, approved by the World Health Assembly in its first resolution on meningitis in 2020, details step-by-step how to strengthen meningitis prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. The goals will be achieved through five pillars: epidemic prevention and control, diagnosis and treatment, disease surveillance, care and support, and advocacy and engagement. This approach not only addresses the prevention and treatment of meningitis, but also emphasizes the necessary support and care for people living with severe conditions resulting from the infectious disease.

With the Paralympic Games taking place later this year, France took the opportunity to powerfully articulate the impact of meningitis on those living with long-term disability – on their health and well-being, education, access to employment and income – while showing a pathway for them to enjoy full and a better quality of life.

“France is honored to host the first high-level conference on the “Beat Meningitis by 2030″ roadmap. The goals set in the roadmap are ambitious and innovative, and I am confident that the commitments made today by all stakeholders here will help to achieve them,” said Frédéric Valletoux, ministerial envoy in charge of health and prevention. “I thank the cooperation between member states, technical experts and leaders from civil society, the academic community and the private sector that we will be able to respond to this challenge together. Our goal is clear: to effectively fight this deadly disease and build a fairer, more resilient world.”

This meeting is the first of its kind on meningitis and is jointly sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gavi, Vaccine Alliance, Institut Pasteur and UNICEF. The plan is not just about investing in meningitis; it may also have far-reaching implications for primary health care. Its success may accelerate progress in reducing conditions such as sepsis and pneumonia, which are caused by the same bacteria that cause meningitis, and may help curb antimicrobial resistance.

Significant progress has been made since all member states approved the plan. WHO now aims to accelerate priority research activities, continue to update and develop key strategies and policies, and further support countries in all six WHO regions to develop their national meningitis plans. Further commitments over the coming months will enable the full implementation of the initiatives in the plan.

Quotes from partners

“A third of the key points of the roadmap relate to research that is essential for the continuous improvement of vaccines, diagnostics and treatments and their subsequent performance,” said Professor Yasmine Belkaid, president of the Institut Pasteur. “Institut Pasteur is proud to be a co-sponsor of today's meeting and looks forward to working closely with partners to make the benefits of this research available where the need is greatest.”

“For me, the most unusual thing about the roadmap is that it puts a strong focus on support and care for people living with consequences and disabilities,” said Davide Morana, a Paralympic athlete and member of the roadmap's Strategy Support Group, who contracted meningitis. at the age of 24. “As someone living with a severe disability, it is extremely encouraging to see innovative work being carried out not only to prevent meningitis, but also to help those who continue to live with the effects of the disease.”

“Children and adolescents are at the highest risk of meningitis worldwide. It can attack quickly and lead to neurological damage, hearing loss, developmental delays and even death,” said Ephrem Lemango, UNICEF's Assistant Director for Health, Global Immunization Lead. “Together with partners, we are committed to strengthening routine immunization for children and ensuring that there is enough to meet the demand for both outbreaks and prevention, so that no child has to suffer from this disease again.”

“The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has long supported the development of affordable meningitis vaccines and ensuring that children around the world have access to them,” said Keith Klugman, Director of Pneumonia and Pandemic Preparedness at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “Guided by the WHO Roadmap and supported by Gavi and UNICEF's vaccine delivery support, this united multi-stakeholder effort puts partners on a clear path to eliminating meningitis, and we are proud to have been part of today's event.”

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