In July, the CDC Foundation hosted a four-day data management retreat for our partners in MenAfriNet, an international network of public health organizations that includes the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and WHO Regional Office for Africa (WHO-AFRO) and Davycas International. 

In 2023, the 10^th MenAfriNet and 20^th World Health Organization (WHO) Annual meeting on Surveillance, Preparedness and Response to Meningitis Outbreaks in Africa was expanded to include yellow fever, measles-rubella, and maternal and neonatal tetanus. 

The Niger Ministry of Health, with the support of MenAfriNet partners, decided to implement a new case-based data management system known as the System for Tracking Epidemiological Data and Laboratory Specimens (STELab).

This summer the MenAfriNet consortium and the international non-profit organization Jhpiego partnered to sponsor a five-day intensive training session in Burkina Faso for regional public health professionals.

The director of the Epidemiological Surveillance Department at the Ministry of Health in Burkina Faso, Dr. Issaka Yameogo, highlights the strength of the case-based surveillance system in Burkina Faso and the strides to overcome bacterial meningitis moving forward. 

The 17th Annual Meeting on Surveillance, Preparedness and Response to Meningitis Outbreaks in Africa and the seventh meeting of MenAfriNet Partners was hosted virtually by Chad. Several topics, including risk assessments and mitigation strategies, were discussed and action items established in an effort to defeat bacterial meningitis by 2030- an initiative adopted by multiple organizations during...

The story of Rahinatou, a young meningitis survivor from Niger, highlights the importance of rapid care, high quality surveillance, and strong laboratory capacities in reducing the burden of bacterial meningitis across Nigerien communities.

Professor Rasmata Ouédraogo-Traoré, the Chief of the Medical Analysis Laboratory of the Charles De Gaulle Pediatric Hospital, which houses the National Reference Laboratory for meningitis in Burkina Faso, shares her journey to this career while outlining the importance of laboratories and scientific studies in the fight against bacterial meningitis.

Meningitis outbreaks due to the type of bacterial called Neisseria Meningitidis A are decreasing due to vaccinations with an exciting new vaccine called MenAfriVac. This was made possible through a strong partnership aimed at reducing the burden of bacterial meningitis so that survivors like Payan, who’s story is shared here, are better protected from the deadly disease in the future.

Dr. Isaïe Medah, director general of public health, shares his experiences and successes in reaching high vaccine coverage with a serogroup A meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenAfriVac®, MACV) through highly collaborative partnership efforts and community education.