Meningococcal meningitis a bacterial form of meningitis. It is a serious infection of the thin lining that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It occurs throughout the world but the vast majority of infections and deaths are in Africa, particularly across the "meningitis belt", stretching from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east.
Even with adequate treatment, up to 10 percent of patients do not survive. Among survivors, 10-20% are left with lifelong conditions such as deafness, brain damage and learning disabilities; vaccines are used for prevention and in response to outbreaks.
Figures about meningitis and our response
Data and information from MSF and other iNGOs
up to 10%
fatality rate
37.4K+
meningitis vaccines by MSF in response to a outbreaks in 2022
10.5K+
meningitis cases treated by MSF in 2022
