Meningitis | MenAfriNet

MenAfriNet partners at the July retreat at the CDC Foundation.

Fighting Meningitis with Surveillance and Data Management

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.

Group photo of participants at 10th MenAfriNet and 20th World Health Organization (WHO) Annual meeting on Surveillance, Preparedness and Response to Meningitis Outbreaks in Africaparticipant

20th International Meningitis Annual Meeting incorporated other epidemic-prone diseases to address surveillance, preparedness, and response to outbreaks in Africa

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.

Analytics Training Provides Critical Tools to Fight Meningitis

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.

Dr. Yameogo interacting with the STELab dashboard to monitor bacterial meningitis across the country. (Photo Credit: Human Interest Documentaries / Davycas International, 2021)

World Meningitis Day 2021: Improving Meningitis Surveillance in Burkina Faso

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.

World Meningitis Day 2020: A Story of Survival and Triumph in Niger

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.

Pr. Rasmata Ouédraogo-Traoré in her laboratory

World Meningitis Day 2019: From Mangoes to Meningitis- A Tale of One Laboratory Scientist in Burkina Faso

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.

Partnership Works to Protect Burkina Faso From Meningitis A

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.