2 days Ago By Appolonia Adeyemi
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoH&SW) has received over one million doses of the Pentavalent Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine (Men5CV) from the Gavi-funded global stockpile to combat the ongoing outbreak of meningococcus C and W in Northern Nigeria. Sunday Telegraph recalls that the outbreak has already claimed more than 70 lives, with over 800 reported cases across 23 States. Seasonal outbreaks are common during the dry season, which runs from December to June and typically peaks between March and April, when low humidity and high dust levels create favorable conditions for transmission.
This first shipment will enable the launch of an outbreak response campaign targeting individuals aged one to 29, the most severely affected group. The campaign will initially kick off in Kebbi and Sokoto States, with plans to expand to Yobe State as more vaccine doses arrive in the Country. Coordinating Minister of Health & Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, said: “The arrival of the Men5CV vaccines is a crucial milestone in Nigeria’s response to the current meningitis outbreak.
“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.” Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, funds global stockpiles of vaccines against cholera, Ebola, meningitis, and yellow fever. These are accessible to all countries and support procurement, delivery, and outbreak response in lower-income countries, alongside preventive and routine immunisation activities where relevant.
The use of the stockpiles is managed by the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision, with UNICEF responsible for delivery. “The ICG approved Nigeria’s request in March 2025 for the deployment of over 1.5 million Men5CV doses.
Francisco Luquero, Gavi’s Head of High-Impact Outbreaks, said: “With Gavi’s support, vaccines successfully eliminated meningitis A from Africa’s meningitis belt. Now, they are also combating other serogroups of this deadly and debilitating disease, bringing us closer to our goal of eliminating meningitis by 2030. “Continued investment in this work is critical to protect the incredible progress made so far, control future outbreaks, and dramatically reduce the devastating impact that seasonal epidemics of meningitis have on families and communities.
” Meningococcal meningitis, an infection of the meninges, the thin lining surrounding the brain and spinal cord is most prevalent in Africa’s ‘meningitis belt’. This region stretches across 26 countries from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east, encompassing an at-risk population of about 500 million. Infants, children, and young adults are most at risk.
One in four survivors suffers permanent disabilities such as hearing loss, seizures, vision impairment, memory loss, and limb amputations. Epidemics typically occur during the dry season and can persist for two to three years. Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, stated: “Every child deserves protection from life-threatening diseases like meningitis.
The arrival of the Men5CV vaccine marks a critical step in stopping the current outbreak and safeguarding Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations particularly children and young adults. UNICEF is proud to support the government by ensuring rapid vaccine deployment, community engagement, and implementation of the response while working alongside Gavi, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to strengthen immunisation efforts in Nigeria.” WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Walter Kazadi Mulombo, added: “As Nigeria continues to combat the current meningitis outbreak, the arrival of the Men5CV vaccine provides a much-needed boost to our response efforts.
“From research and development to delivery, the journey of this vaccine has been a collaborative effort between the Nigerian government, WHO, Gavi, and other dedicated partners. “While addressing the ongoing outbreak, the Men5CV vaccine is also critical to Nigeria’s long-term health security. It will help prevent future outbreaks and safeguard future generations.
WHO remains committed to supporting Nigeria every step of the way.” Gavi has worked with countries to support vaccination against meningitis A, reaching nearly 400 million children and young adults up to 29 years old through campaigns and routine immunisation. These efforts have led to the successful elimination of meningitis A in Africa, with no reported cases since 2017.
Approved by WHO in 2023, the Men5CV vaccine represents a major advancement for high-risk countries in Africa’s meningitis belt, offering protection against the five major serogroups of meningococcus bacteria. Since 2024, Gavi has supported the deployment of Men5CV for outbreak responses, integration into routine immunisation, and preventive mass campaigns. The first country is expected to switch from MenACV to Men5CV by the end of 2025, a shift that could significantly reduce the need for future outbreak response campaigns and move toward the goal of eliminating the disease by 2030.
In March 2024, Nigeria became the first country to receive the Men5CV vaccine from the global stockpile for outbreak containment marking a key milestone in the global fight against meningitis. As of the end of 2024, the global meningococcal vaccine stockpile had been accessed 68 times by 16 countries since 2009, with more than 34 million doses deployed to support outbreak response efforts..
