World Meningitis Day is just 30 days away

Join hands with people around the globe to raise awareness of this devastating disease

World Meningitis Day is around the corner and we want you to Join Hands against meningitis with people around the world to help raise awareness about the devastating effects of meningitis and septicemia and to encourge prevention through vaccination.

Meningitis is the inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord. Septicaemia is the blood poisoning form of the disease. The two forms of the disease have different symptoms and can kill in hours and particularly devastating is disease caused by bacteria called meningococcus. People who recover from meningitis and meningococcal disease may be left with a range of after effects that dramatically alter their lives.

Meningitis around the globe

The Confederation of Meningitis Organisations (CoMO) was established in 2004 to unite people across the world in the fight against meningitis and septicaemia. Vaccinations that have been developed and introduced over the past 18 years have helped to significantly reduce the number of cases of the disease.

In 2010 huge steps forward were made in the development and distribution of a meningococcal A vaccine for Sub-Saharan Africa, and a vaccine for meningococcal B disease is at last on the horizon.

However even with this progress there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. There are areas of the world that do not have access to these life saving vaccines, and there are strains of the disease that we are yet to conquer. Meningitis and septicaemia still kills and disables tens of thousands of people every year across the world. These are diseases that affect the most vulnerable – babies and young children.

Our focus with your help

"We are proud of the developments and research that is being conducted around the world at this very moment to find a way of eradicating this disease, but we still have several different focuses," said CoMO President Bruce Langoulant.

"We are focused on raising awareness of the disease so sufferers get the right treatment as quickly as possible. We are focussed on raising the awareness of the benefits provided by vaccines and to make them available in countries that don't currently have access to them and we want to raise awareness of the impact of meningitis and septicaemia so we can support those who have already been touched by the disease.

"You can help us to achieve these goals by raising your voices, raising money and encouraging others to Join Hands against meningitis on World Meningitis Day Sunday 24 April."