WHO releases new roadmap to defeat meningitis

The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners launched the first-ever global strategy to defeat meningitis, a debilitating disease that kills hundreds of thousands of people each year.

Context

The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners launched the first-ever global strategy to defeat meningitis, a debilitating disease that kills hundreds of thousands of people each year.

About WHO’s Strategy

• The global road map sets out a plan to tackle the main causes of acute bacterial meningitis through three strategic goals: 
  • Eliminate epidemics of bacterial meningitis.
  • Reduce cases of vaccine preventable bacterial meningitis by 50% and deaths by 70%.
  • Reduce disability and improve quality of life after meningitis of any cause

What is Meningitis?

• Meningitis is an infection of the membranes (meninges) that protect the spinal cord and brain. 
• This infection can cause life-threatening problems. 
• Caused by: viral, bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections

Types of meningitis

• Viral meningitis: Viral meningitis is the most common type of meningitis.
• Bacterial meningitis: Bacterial meningitis is contagious and caused by infection from certain bacteria.
• Fungal meningitis: Fungal meningitis is a rare type of meningitis.
• Parasitic meningitis
• Non-infectious meningitis