Meningitis Pathogen/Kateryna_Kon, stock.adobe.com

GENEVA – Thousands of people worldwide die from meningitis each year, many of them severely disabled after recovering from the disease. World Health Organization (WHO) has now adopted an action plan to reduce bacterial meningitis as far as possible by 2030.

This should save more than 200,000 lives a year. By 2030, the number of deaths is to be reduced by 70 percent and the number of cases is to be halved.

Bacterial meningitis leads to major outbreaks, particularly in the so-called meningitis belt in 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. One in ten infected people die, a total of about 250,000 people a year. Two in ten survivors later live with severe health impairment. Some vaccines are available, but they are not widely used.

It should change. WHO wants to promote research on vaccines, among other things. Countries should be helped to vaccinate more, provide better and more comprehensive information about the dangers, symptoms and preventive measures, and bring affected people to qualified medical treatment as soon as possible. © dpa / aerzteblatt.de