In Africa the WHO is predicting the worst meningitis epidemic in the last decade, an epidemic which is preventable and yet once which they are substantially unprepared for. It is estimated that some 80 million people, in 21 various countries, which form a region reffed to as, the "meningitis belt', could need the preventative vaccine. Last year, there where only 7 million doses of the vaccine available throughout the region due to a lack of funding, and 53,000 cases of meningitis were reported and an estimated 4,000 people died across the region from December to May last year.
The meningitis scare in Africa, was forewarned, and yet the crisis appears to be inevitable. The WHO is fighting to keep the crisis to a minimum, nonetheless the fight against meningitis is an ongoing battle, many fear to loose. The current epidemic is feared to endure for some three years, while supplies of the vaccine look to remain low. The main cause of the low production in vaccines is in short related to a lull in production in the past year, and the now use of one supplier, which is due to manufactures lack of interest in producing for the developing world over the developing.
The WHO's weekly epidemiological record released on 9 March 2007, revealed that if a major epidemic where to occur in the next few years, that the estimated need of vaccines could be as high as 52 million doses. "An epidemic wave will have an enormous impact on the countries' morbidity and mortality and will add to the already heavy burden placed on their health services," the report said (Fighting meningitis is a race against time).
The WHO is urging $13.8 million in donations, so that some 12 million doses of the vaccine can be purchased, to eliminate or substancially curb the crisis in Africa. In addition WHO officials would like to see an additional 500,000 vaccine doses stocked in each of the countries of the meningitis belt.
