Oluwatobi Adu 
GENEVA, Switzerland – The World Health Organization (WHO) has stepped up efforts to strengthen meningitis response across countries by promoting regional collaboration, technical support and peer learning to accelerate progress towards eliminating the disease by 2030.
The agency announced the initiative on Thursday while highlighting outcomes of regional workshops held in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Cairo, Egypt, as part of implementing the Defeating Meningitis by 2030 global roadmap.
The meetings brought together policymakers, public health leaders and technical experts to strengthen national meningitis programmes through knowledge sharing and technical collaboration.
WHO says the workshops mark a shift from developing global guidance to supporting practical implementation at country level.
Participants focused on improving disease surveillance, strengthening laboratory systems for faster outbreak detection, reviewing national meningitis plans and identifying priority actions to accelerate progress.
Despite differences in health systems and disease burden, participating countries identified common priorities, including expanding immunisation programmes, improving laboratory confirmation, strengthening surveillance systems, updating national treatment guidelines and increasing support for people living with long-term complications.
Countries also exchanged practical solutions and reviewed one another’s national action plans, with experiences from Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador and the United Kingdom providing lessons that could strengthen preparedness and outbreak response.
WHO Coordinator for the Defeating Meningitis by 2030 Global Roadmap, Antoine Durupt, says collaboration remains critical to eliminating the disease.
“The momentum we are seeing across countries is encouraging. When countries share knowledge, learn from one another and work together across WHO regions and partners, they build stronger meningitis programmes that save lives, reduce disability and bring us closer to the goal of defeating meningitis by 2030.”
The organisation says continued technical support, regional communities of practice and regular follow-up will be essential to help countries translate national meningitis plans into measurable public health outcomes.
About the Author
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Korede Abdullah 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 