Appolonia Adeyemi 
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and its partners have launched a global strategy to defeat meningitis. The strategy was also aimed at eliminating the epidemics of bacterial meningitis, reduce deaths from the disease by 70 per cent and halve the number of cases. Meningitis is a serious disease in which there is inflammation of the meninges, caused by viral or bacterial infection, and marked by intense headache and fever, sensitivity to light, and muscular rigidity. The organisations estimate that in total, the strategy could save more than 200,000 lives annually and significantly reduce disability caused by the disease. This strategy, the Global Roadmap to Defeat Meningitis by 2030, was launched by a broad coalition of partners involved in meningitis prevention and control at a virtual event, hosted by WHO in Geneva.
