Saturday, 05 April 2025 04:37

Nigeria receives over 1m meningitis vaccine doses from Gavi

Rate this item
(0 votes)

Nigeria has received more than 1 million meningitis vaccine doses from Gavi-funded global stockpile to combat an outbreak of the deadly disease in Africa's most populous nation, Gavi said on Friday.

More than 70 people have died from the outbreak across several Nigerian states, with over 800 cases recorded, Gavi said.

Nigeria is one of the hotspots of the deadly disease in Africa, where at least 1,700 cases were reported last year, with more than 150 deaths recorded in seven states.

Gavi, a public-private partnership that helps fund vaccines for developing countries, said this first shipment would enable the launch of an outbreak response campaign targeting individuals aged 1–29 years, 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, Gavi said.

Nigeria became the first country in the world to roll out the "revolutionary" new Men5C vaccine against meningitis last year, according to the World Health Organization.

Outbreaks are common during the dry season, which runs from December to June, peaking between March and April, when low humidity and high dust levels prevail.

Meningitis is an inflammation of tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord which can be caused by viral or bacterial infections. It spreads mainly through kisses, sneezes, coughs and in close living quarters.

 

Reuters

May 30, 2025

Nigeria's $3bn fashion drain: How import dependence undermines local textile industry

Nigeria's fashion sector is hemorrhaging billions of dollars annually due to overwhelming reliance on imported…
June 01, 2025

‘Nigeria under siege by urban bandits, poverty weaponized’ – Atiku, El-Rufai warn

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai have issued a scathing…
June 01, 2025

Her daughter was taken and sent abroad - 44 years later, they found each other

The last memory Han Tae-soon has of her daughter as a child is in May…
May 31, 2025

Tools made of whale bones reveal inventiveness of prehistoric people

Artifacts found at archeological sites in France and Spain along the Bay of Biscay shoreline…
May 31, 2025

Troops kill 60 terrorists and top ISWAP commander in Borno, as FCT mourns 11 killed…

Nigerian troops have killed over 60 terrorists in Borno State during a series of operations,…
June 01, 2025

What to know after Day 1193 of Russia-Ukraine war

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Russia launches air attack on Ukraine's capital Kyiv, mayor says Ukraine's air defence…
May 29, 2025

AI system resorts to blackmail when its developers try to replace it

An artificial intelligence model has the ability to blackmail developers — and isn’t afraid to…
May 13, 2025

Nigeria's Flying Eagles qualify for World Cup after dramatic win over Senegal

Nigeria's U-20 national football team, the Flying Eagles, have secured their place at the 2025…

NEWSSCROLL TEAM: 'Sina Kawonise: Publisher/Editor-in-Chief; Afolabi Ajibola: IT Manager;
Contact Us: [email protected] Tel/WhatsApp: +234 811 395 4049

Copyright © 2015 - 2025 NewsScroll. All rights reserved.