MenAfriVac™ reaches three new African countries
In 2011, the meningococcal A conjugate vaccine developed through the Meningitis Vaccine Project reached 3 new countries and more than 35 million people in Africa. MenAfriVac™ was introduced in selected regions in Cameroon, Chad, and Nigeria (more than 21 million people vaccinated); while Mali and Niger conducted their last MenAfriVac™ campaign, immunizing more than 13 million individuals. Counting those vaccinated in 2010, almost 55 million people aged 1–29 years have received the new vaccine to date. Pending adequate funding, the Meningitis Vaccine Project and its partners hope to vaccinate an additional 265 million people throughout the African “meningitis belt” by 2016, thereby ridding the region of a disease that has caused havoc for more than a century. ABOVE: People stand in line to get the MenAfriVac™ vaccine in the village of Sari, Chad, December 2011.
Photo: WHO/Rodrigue Barry.
