WHO and France hold high-level meeting to defeat meningitis

World leaders are stressing the need to defeat meningitis, a leading cause of disability, at a high-level meeting organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the French government under the patronage of the President of the French Republic, Mr Mohammed. Emmanuel Macron. The event will take place on April 26 and 27, 2024 at the Pasteur Institute and has the support of famous athletes who are championing the cause ahead of the Paralympic Games in Paris.

Following the announcement of the successful introduction in Nigeria of a new, safe and highly effective vaccine targeting the five main strains that cause bacterial meningitis in Africa, leaders have committed to implementing the global roadmap to “beat meningitis by 2030”, which requires significant investment to act. This innovative plan takes a comprehensive look at how to detect, control and defeat meningitis in every region of the world, and ensure that people affected by this deadly disease receive recovery services.

“Bacterial meningitis kills one in six people and causes permanent disability in one in five. However, many of these deaths and disabilities can be prevented by vaccines,” the doctor said.^R Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of WHO. “A commitment to ending meningitis by 2030 will not only save lives, but also save billions of United States dollars (USD) in health care costs and lost productivity. »

Meningitis is a fatal and debilitating disease; which occurs rapidly, has serious health, economic and social consequences and affects people of all ages in all countries of the world. Outbreaks of meningitis disproportionately affect people living in an area called the “meningitis belt,” covering 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

“Meningitis is fatal in half of untreated cases, but vaccines have significantly reduced outbreaks such as meningitis A in Africa,” the doctor said.^D Sania Nishtar, Executive Director of the Gavi Alliance. “New effective vaccines targeting the five major strains, such as the Men5CV vaccine recently used in Nigeria, are reaching high-risk countries. The Gavi Alliance’s continued support for the multivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine program, accompanied by the necessary donor funding for the next five years of work, is critical to the continued introduction of the vaccine in high-risk countries.

The End Meningitis 2030 Roadmap is an innovative approach that enables all stakeholders to work together to tackle all aspects of the disease. If fully funded and implemented, the road map could prevent nearly 3 million cases of meningitis and at least 900,000 deaths by 2030, and generate savings of $4 billion to $10 billion in medical costs, as well as billions of additional dollars in indirect costs within a decade. .

The road map, endorsed by the World Health Assembly in its first resolution on meningitis in 2020, details step by step how to improve the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and management of meningitis. The goals will be achieved through five pillars: epidemic prevention and control, diagnosis and treatment, disease surveillance, support and care, and awareness and mobilization. This approach not only focuses on the prevention and treatment of meningitis, but also emphasizes the need for support and care for people living with debilitating conditions resulting from the infectious disease.

In the context of the Paralympic Games later this year, France has taken the opportunity to clearly demonstrate the impact of meningitis on the health and well-being of people living with chronic disabilities, on their education, access to employment and their income. ; imagining a path through which they can enjoy a better quality of life.

“France is honored to host the first high-level conference dedicated to the roadmap to defeat meningitis by 2030.” The goals set in the roadmap are ambitious and innovative, and I am confident that the commitments made today by all stakeholders here will achieve them,” said Mr. Frédéric Valletu, Minister Delegate responsible for Health and Prevention. “It is through collaboration between Member States, technical experts and leaders from civil society, academia and the private sector that we can collectively address this challenge. Our goal is clear: to effectively fight this deadly disease and build a more just and sustainable world. »

The meeting is the first of its kind on meningitis and is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gavi Alliance, the Pasteur Institute and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The roadmap is not just about investing in meningitis; indeed, it may also have profound implications for primary health care. Its success could help accelerate progress in reducing diseases such as sepsis and pneumonia, which are caused by the same bacteria that cause meningitis, and limit antimicrobial resistance.

Significant progress has been made since all Member States approved the road map. WHO is now committed to accelerating priority research activities, continuing to update and develop key strategies and policies, and providing greater support to countries in the six WHO regions in developing their national meningitis control plans. Other commitments in the coming months will support the full implementation of the initiatives planned in the roadmap.

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Partner quotes

“The third planned milestone in the roadmap relates to the research needed to further improve vaccines, diagnostic tools and treatments, and their subsequent impact,” said Professor Yasmine Belkaid, Director General of the Institut Pasteur. “The Pasteur Institute is proud to be one of the sponsors of this meeting today and looks forward to working closely with its partners to make the benefits of this research work available where the need is greatest. »

“I think the most extraordinary element of the roadmap is the fact that it places great emphasis on supporting and caring for people living with consequences and disabilities,” said Mr Davide Morana, a Paralympic athlete and member of the Roadmap support group. cards”. who contracted meningitis at the age of 24. “As someone living with a severe disability, it is extremely encouraging to see innovative work being done 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 greatest risk of meningitis worldwide. This can happen quickly and lead to neurological consequences, hearing loss, developmental delays and even death,” said Mr Ephrem Lemango, Deputy Director of Health and Head of Global Immunization at UNICEF. “Together with our partners, we are committed to strengthening routine childhood immunization and ensuring sufficient supplies to meet demand for outbreaks and preventive interventions so that no child suffers from this disease again. »

“The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has long supported the development of affordable meningitis vaccines and efforts to ensure children around the world have access to them,” said Mr. Keith Klugman, Director of Pneumonia Preparedness and Medicine at the Bill & Melinda Foundation Gates. Foundation. “Guided by the WHO roadmap and supported by Gavi and UNICEF in vaccine distribution, this collaborative, multi-stakeholder effort puts partners on a clear path to eliminating meningitis, and we are proud to be part of today’s event. »