Vaccines and immunization : Vaccine development : Meningitis Vaccine Project : About meningitis

Map of Africa’s meningitis belt

Epidemics of meningitis in Africa are most prevalent in the meningitis belt that stretches across sub-Saharan Africa. About 450 million people are at risk of the deadly disease. Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan, and Ethiopia are considered hyperendemic, meaning populations in these countries are at the highest risk of developing meningitis. The new MenAfriVac™ vaccine is being introduced first in these hyperendemic countries before reaching other countries in the region.

Map showing Africa's 'meningitis belt' countries and hyperendemic countries, including each country's 2009 population.

Next Life in the meningitis belt

Illustration: PATH/David Simpson.