Nigeria becomes first country to roll out new meningitis vaccine

Category : Science and Tech Published on: April 18 2024

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Nigeria has become the first country to administer the Men5CV/MenFive conjugate vaccine, recommended by the WHO, providing protection against five strains of meningococcal bacteria.
The MenFive vaccine targets Neisseria meningitidis groups A, C, Y, W, and X, offering protection for individuals aged 9 months to 85 years, particularly crucial in regions like Nigeria where multiple serogroups are prevalent.
Developed through a 13-year partnership between PATH and the Serum Institute of India, with funding from the UK government's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and support from the Gavi Vaccine Alliance, this vaccine aims to curb meningitis cases in Africa, where Nigeria is among the 26 high-incidence countries.