The World Health Organization (WHO) has opened the door to routine immunisation of infants by approving for use an innovative and affordable vaccine that has all but rid the meningitis belt from meningitis A epidemics - a major cause of deadly epidemics. in sub - Saharan Africa.

Meningitis Vaccine Project (MVP) a partnership between the global health non profit PATH and WHO and Serum Institute of India Ltd. (SIIL), which manufactures the MenAfriVac vaccine has announced the approval from WHO of the vaccine through its prequalification process for use in infants, and paving the way for protecting millions more children at risk of the deadly disease.
The partnership was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

MenAfriVac was the first vaccine developed outside traditional pharma, and the only vaccine developed specifically for people in Africa has had an immediate and dramatic impact in breaking the cycle of meningitis A epidemics.

Dr. Marie Pierre Pr  ziosi, director of MVP says, “Initial mass vaccination campaigns with MenAfriVac have been highly effective in reducing the number of meningitis A cases. But epidemics will return when rising numbers of unprotected newborns become a larger proportion of the total population over time. Now, with this decision, health officials will be able to ensure that population - wide protection is sustained by routinely immunising infants.”

The WHO decision means that the new, 5 g dose of the meningitis A vaccine meets international standards of quality, safety, and efficacy and can therefore be administered to children younger than one year of age in Africa. MenAfriVac  had previously been authorised for use in children and young adults, aged 1 - 29 years. Before the introduction of MenAfriVac, people living in countries of the meningitis belt were regularly struck by meningitis A epidemics in which sudden onset of symptoms could rapidly lead to death or permanent disability.

One of the most devastating recorded was in 1996 -'97, when an epidemic wave infected more than 250,000 people and killed over 25,000 in just a few months. The only existing vaccine was insufficient to break the cycle.

In 2004, MVP partnered with SIIL to develop an affordable, tailor - made vaccine against meningitis A in sub - Saharan Africa, in less than one - tenth the cost of a typical new vaccine. Since campaigns started in 2010, MenAfriVac has been administered to over 215 million people in 15 countries of the African meningitis belt: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cte dIvoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Togo, and The Gambia.

Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla, CEO of SIIL, headquartered in Pune, says ,“Developing the MenAfriVac vaccine fit exactly Serums ingrained philosophy of bringing down prices of vaccines so that under - privileged children of the world are protected. We at Serum Institute are extremely proud of being part of an international partnership that brought an end to a public health issue that has been plaguing sub - Saharan Africa for more than a century.”

Support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the United Nations Childrens Fund ( UNICEF ); PATH; WHO; and national governments has been crucial for mass vaccination campaigns that are due to continue until 2016 to cover at - risk populations in all 26 countries where disease burden from meningitis A is greatest.

Results from two infant clinical studies in Ghana and Mali and vaccine introduction impact data were presented to the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) in October 2014 , and these SAGE experts concluded that a one - dose schedule at 9 months of age or older was recommended to achieve sustainable disease control following the initial mass campaigns in 1 - 29 year olds.

WHO is already working with African countries to ensure a smooth transition from mass campaigns to routine immunisation and so ensure sustainable disease control in the region . Seven countries ( Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria ) are in line to introduce MenAfriVac in their routine systems as early as 2015, while mass vaccination campaigns will continue in remaining countries.

“With MenAfriVac, we created a revolutionary new model for vaccine development and now stand on the brink of protecting an entire generation, and those to come, from a devastating disease. Our efforts began with a request by African leaders to address a major health challenge affecting hundreds of millions of people , and in less than a decade, we proved that a safe, effective vaccine could be developed and deployed across multiple countries at a price that was sustainable.” said Dr. Kathy Neuzil, director of Vaccine Access and Delivery at PATH.

“The benefits of childhood immunisation last a lifetime and the MenAfriVac  vaccine is one of the greatest success stories that shows what partners can accomplish when we commit together to a compelling cause. Prequalification of the MenAfriVac vaccine for infants clears the way for the routine immunisation of every child before his or her first birthday to ensure long-term meningitis control,” says, Chris Elias, president of the Global Development programme at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Dr . Jean Marie Okwo Bele, director of the WHO Department of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals. says, “We are more than halfway through with introducing the vaccine in meningitis - belt countries, and the first introductions have been a stunning success. But we cannot yet declare a win on meningitis epidemics in sub - Saharan Africa. If we rest on our laurels and dont finish the job, meningitis epidemics will return in a major way in the years to come. Elimination of meningitis epidemics will require meningitis belt countries political commitment to complete the mass campaigns and introduce the vaccine in the Expanded Programme on Immunisation. Then and only then will we win the battle against meningitis.”