Nigeria has begun a major push to contain a fast-spreading meningitis outbreak that has already killed over 70 people and infected more than 800 across 23 states.Â
To battle the disease, the country has received one million doses of a powerful new vaccine designed to protect against five types of meningitis-causing bacteria.
The arrival of the Men5CV vaccines follows an emergency request made in March and is the first major step in a national outbreak response.
The first doses are being sent to Kebbi and Sokoto States, where infections have been highest.
Authorities are targeting those between the ages of 1 and 29, a group found to be most at risk.
This outbreak, which thrives during Nigeria’s dry season, usually worsens in March and April due to dust and low humidity.
Health workers say these weather conditions help the bacteria spread more easily.
With the new vaccines in hand, officials hope to stop the disease before it reaches more communities.
The Federal Ministry of Health is coordinating the response in partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, as well as UNICEF and the World Health Organization.
The next batches of the vaccine are expected soon and will allow the campaign to expand to other northern states, including Yobe.
Nigeria’s health authorities have linked this emergency campaign to a wider effort to improve vaccine access and strengthen the country’s overall response to health threats.
The Men5CV vaccine, approved by the WHO in 2023, is the first of its kind to offer protection against the five main strains of meningitis bacteria.
Before now, most vaccines only covered one or two types.
Northern Nigeria lies within Africa’s meningitis belt, a region stretching from Senegal to Ethiopia where outbreaks are common.
Children and young adults are especially vulnerable, and many survivors are left with serious health problems such as deafness, seizures, or speech and memory difficulties.
The new vaccine gives Nigeria a better chance at breaking this cycle. Gavi and WHO say this campaign could help move the country closer to the goal of wiping out meningitis outbreaks entirely by 2030.
