The authorities in Niger have initiated a meningitis vaccination campaign in response to the country’s reported 1,000 cases of the disease.

Minister of Public Health and Social Affairs, Idi Illiassou Mainassara, announced the launch of the campaign on Zinder through his Twitter account, stating that it aims to target 372,000 individuals aged between 2 and 29 years.

According to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs’ communication officer, Souley Zabeirou, Niger has recorded a total of 1,813 meningitis cases, including 102 fatalities, from November until now.

The Zinder region, located in the southeast, has been particularly affected, with 1,473 cases and 84 deaths reported.

Efforts to combat the disease and protect the population are underway, with the meningitis vaccination campaign being a crucial step in preventing further infections and reducing the impact of the outbreak.