Nigeria Receives One Million Meningitis Vaccine Doses

SATURDAY April 5, 2025 |
By thenewsdesk.ng

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has received over 1,000,000 pentavalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Men5CV) doses from the Gavi-funded global stockpile to combat the meningococcus C and W outbreak in northern Nigeria.

This was disclosed in a joint press statement on Friday by the Vaccine Alliance, Gavi, the World Health Organisation, and the United Nations Children’s Fund.

The statement noted that the first shipment of the vaccine doses would enable the launch of an outbreak response campaign targeting individuals aged one to 29 years, which is the most severely affected group.

“The campaign will initially launch in Kebbi and Sokoto states, with plans to expand to Yobe State as additional doses arrive in the country,” it added.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, the country has recorded a total of 807 suspected cases of cerebrospinal meningitis, and 74 deaths from 22 states as of March 26, 2025

The NCDC stated that the Case Fatality Rate was at 9.2 per cent as of March 26, 2025.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate said the arrival of the Men5CV vaccines was a crucial milestone in Nigeria’s response to the current meningitis outbreak.

He said, “It reflects our commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to protect the health and well-being of all Nigerians – especially our children and young people who are most vulnerable.

“Through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Sector-Wide Approach, we have prioritised epidemic preparedness and rapid response as part of our broader health security agenda. We are grateful for the support of Gavi, WHO, and UNICEF in enabling this swift deployment. Together, we are not only containing today’s outbreak but also laying the foundation to eliminate meningitis and strengthen routine immunisation for the future.”

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Nigeria has recorded a total of 807 suspected cases of cerebrospinal meningitis, and 74 deaths from 22 states as of March 26, 2025

The NCDC also stated that the Case Fatality Rate was at 9.2 per cent.

Meningitis is a serious infection of the meninges, the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It is a devastating disease and remains a major public health challenge.

The disease can be caused by many different pathogens including bacteria, fungi or viruses, but the highest global burden is seen with bacterial meningitis, according to WHO.

UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, said every child deserved protection from life-threatening diseases like meningitis, saying that the arrival of the vaccine marked a critical step in stopping the current outbreak and safeguarding Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations – particularly children and young adults, who are at the highest risk.

“UNICEF is proud to support the government by ensuring rapid vaccine deployment, community engagement, and planning and implementation of the response, while working alongside Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, National Primary Health Care Development Agency and Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare to strengthen immunisation efforts in Nigeria,” Munduate stated.

WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Walter Mulombo, said as Nigeria continues to combat the current meningitis outbreak, the arrival of the MenCV5 vaccine provided a much-needed boost to the response efforts.

“From research and development to delivery, the journey of the MenCV5 vaccine to Nigeria has been a collaborative effort between the Nigerian government, the WHO, Gavi, and other dedicated partners. While we address the ongoing outbreak, the MenCV5 vaccine is also critical to Nigeria’s long-term health security. It will help prevent future outbreaks and safeguard future generations; we are committed to supporting Nigeria at every step,” he stated.