The World Health Organization (WHO) has today published its first-ever global guidelines for meningitis diagnosis, treatment and care, aiming to speed up detection, ensure timely treatment, and improve long-term care for those affected. By bringing together the latest evidence-based recommendations, the guidelines provide a critical tool for reducing deaths and disability caused by the disease.
Defeating meningitis by 2030
Theguidelines contribute to the broader Defeating Meningitis by 2030 Global Roadmap, adoptedby WHO Member States in 2020, which aims to: eliminate bacterial meningitisepidemics, reduce cases of vaccine-preventable bacterial meningitis by 50% anddeaths by 70%, and reduce disability and improve quality of life aftermeningitis.
Achieving these goals requires coordinated action across five key areas:
- Diagnosis and treatment: Faster detection and optimal clinical management.
- Prevention and epidemic control: Developing new affordable vaccines, achieving high immunization and coverage, and improving outbreak preparedness and response.
- Disease surveillance: Strengthening monitoring systems to guide prevention and control.
- Care and support for those affected by meningitis: Ensuring early recognition and improved access to care and support for after-effects from meningitis.
- Advocacy and engagement: Increasing political commitment and inclusion in country plans, better public understanding of meningitis, and increased awareness of the right to prevention, care and after-care services.
With these guidelines, WHO provides countries with a critical tool to close gaps inmeningitis diagnosis, treatment and care, ensuring that more people receivetimely treatment and long-term support.'
https://www.who.int/news/item/10-04-2025-who-launches-first-ever-guideli...
Prof Joseph Ana
Lead Senior Fellow/ medicalconsultant.
Center for Clinical Governance Research &
Patient Safety (ACCGR&PS) @ HRI GLOBAL
www.hri-global.org
HIFA profile: Joseph Ana is the Lead Senior Fellow/Medical Consultant at the Centre for Clinical Governance Research and Patient Safety in Calabar, Nigeria, established by HRI Global (former HRIWA). He is a member of the World Health Organisation’s Technical Advisory Group on Integrated Care in primary, emergency, operative, and critical care (TAG-IC2). As the Cross River State Commissioner for Health, he led the introduction of the Homegrown Quality Tool, the 12-Pillar Clinical Governance Programme, in Nigeria (2004-2008). For sustainability, he established the Department of Clinical Governance, Servicom & e-health in the Cross River State Ministry of Health, Nigeria. His main interest is in whole health sector and system strengthening in Lower, Low and Middle Income Countries (LLMICs). He has written six books on the 12-Pillar Clinical Governance programme, suitable for LLMICs, including the TOOLS for Implementation. He served as Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association’s Standing Committee on Clinical Governance (2012-2022), and he won the Nigeria Medical Association’s Award of Excellence on three consecutive occasions for the innovation. He served as Chairman, Quality & Performance, of the Technical Working Group for the implementation of the Nigeria Health Act 2014. He is member, National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee of the Federal Ministry of Health. He is the pioneer Secretary General/Trustee-Director of the NMF (Nigerian Medical Forum) which took the BMJ to West Africa in 1995. Joseph is a member of the HIFA Steering Group and the HIFA working group on Community Health Workers. (http://www.hifa.org/support/members/joseph-0 http://www.hifa.org/people/steering-group). jneana AT yahoo.co.uk