By Brian Nambale
As we commemorate World Meningitis Day (WMD) 2024 which previously for many years was marked on the 24th of April annually but now for three years, it’s done on the 5th of October.
This year’s theme is: “United in the race to defeat Meningitis”
What everyone needs to know
Meningitis is the inflammation of the Meninges which are membranes covering the brain, and hence its name meningitis. It has several causes including germs like viruses, Bacteria and many more possible causes. Meningitis is hard to diagnose and progresses rapidly, leaving little time to react.
The disease can kill in as little as 24 hours, but there are vaccines that protect against the most common types. Talk to your healthcare professional about what meningitis vaccines are available to protect you and your family.
Meningitis vaccines are safe, and effective and give you peace of mind, so you know you and your loved ones are protected. The Vaccines have been shown to effectively prevent meningitis in many countries around the world, saving millions of lives. Everyone who is at risk of meningitis, in every country around the world, deserves the life-saving protection that meningitis vaccines give.
Meningitis is not easy to diagnose since its signs are intermingled with many diseases. It presents with fever, pain and stiffness of the neck, fear of bright light, vomiting, muscle joint and limb pains associated with confusion, purple rash, fits and cold hands & feet.
Meningitis is the deadliest form of meningitis, with the World Health Organization estimating that around 1 in 6 people who get it will die. Yet many people are not aware of the need to get vaccinated to prevent it.
Meningitis can have life-changing impacts. Across the world, bacterial meningitis leaves 1 in 5 people with lifelong disabilities. These include hearing loss, brain damage, limb loss and epilepsy.
The World Health Organization’s Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by 2030 aims to reduce the number of deaths caused by vaccine-preventable bacterial meningitis by 70%. Implementing its goals would save an estimated 200,000 lives a year..
Meningitis can strike anyone at any time, but some people are particularly at risk because of age, crowded living conditions and immune deficiencies such as HIV. Babies, children and young adults are some of the groups most at risk of meningitis No child, and no family, should have to live with the devastating impact of throughout someone’s life to protect against it. Vaccination gives your loved ones the chance of a life free from meningitis. Now is the time to catch up on life-saving vaccines, reducing the risk of getting such a serious, life-threatening infection as meningitis.
Key messages
- Meningitis vaccines: life-saving protection for the ones you love
- Meningitis vaccines: the chance of a life free from meningitis
In Uganda, we have a Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) preventing Meningitis and Pneumonia Given at 6 weeks after birth, repeated at 10 weeks and then at 14 weeks of life.
In case your family member is suspected, diagnosed or on treatment for meningitis; Antibiotics will be prescribed as chemoprophylaxis for those close to family members in contact with a meningitis patient. Also avoid close contact like kissing, sharing toothbrushes & utensils with regular hand washing.
About the Author
Brian Nambale (Hon.), is an Advisory Council Board Member (Africa) to the Confederation of Meningitis Organizations (CoMO) Part of the Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF); Palliative Clinical care Advocate; Clinic Manager at Medicure Trauma Centre Nabumali – Mbale. He is also Chairperson Health, Education & community-based services Committee – Mbale District Local Government and an Independent Medical Writer
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