New meningitis A vaccine is a “breakthrough” for 430 million people at risk

The approval by the World Health Organization of a low cost vaccine against meningitis has been hailed by the charity Médecins Sans Frontières as a move “full of promise” for the 430 million people at risk of the disease in the meningitis belt of sub-Saharan Africa.

Cathy Hewison, the charity’s medical adviser, told the BMJ that the new vaccine, called MenAfriVac, could virtually eliminate the epidemic form of the disease but warned that the full rollout of this “much needed vaccine” depends on sufficient funds being mobilised. Médecins Sans Frontières has been leading the Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines.

Dr Hewison said the existing vaccine “confers very short term protection, …