WHO’s meningitis guidelines: A lifeline or a long-overdue apology?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released its first global guidelines for diagnosing, treating, and managing meningitis cases.

The new guidelines aim to speed up disease detection, ensure timely treatment, and improve long-term care for patients.

WHO described the guidelines as a major step in reducing deaths and disabilities linked to meningitis globally.

According to the organisation, the recommendations are based on the latest scientific evidence and expert consensus worldwide.

WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, said the guidelines would help save lives and boost patient care systems.

“Bacterial meningitis kills one in every six affected individuals,” Dr Ghebreyesus said in a statement on the WHO website.

He added that many survivors are left with lifelong health challenges, including neurological impairments and mobility issues.

Dr Ghebreyesus emphasised that the guidelines would also improve support for affected families and health systems in general.

The recommendations focus on both children and adults with acute community-acquired meningitis conditions.

According to WHO, strengthening clinical management is essential to reducing death rates and long-term complications.

The guidelines recommend evidence-based approaches for patients above one month old, including adolescents and adults.

They cover all aspects of clinical care such as diagnosis, antibiotic use, and supportive treatment for severe symptoms.

It also includes management strategies for long-term effects of the disease and secondary complications.

Because meningitis symptoms often overlap, the guidelines address both bacterial and viral causes of the disease.

It also includes provisions for handling both epidemic and non-epidemic cases across various healthcare settings.

The new release supersedes WHO’s previous 2014 guidelines used mainly for outbreak responses during epidemics.

WHO stressed that meningitis remains a global health burden despite the availability of vaccines and effective treatments.

The disease affects people of all ages, but low-income countries bear the highest burden.

Sub-Saharan Africa, especially the ‘meningitis belt’, records the highest number of recurring epidemics yearly.

WHO noted that meningitis is still a major threat, especially in regions with weak healthcare systems.

Bacterial meningitis is regarded as the deadliest form and can kill within 24 hours if not treated urgently.

Several organisms can cause meningitis, with bacterial agents being the most dangerous of all types.

In 2019, an estimated 2.5 million meningitis cases were reported globally, according to WHO figures.

Of these, about 1.6 million were bacterial cases, resulting in roughly 240,000 deaths worldwide.

WHO disclosed that 20 per cent of bacterial meningitis survivors develop life-altering complications and disabilities.

These complications may include hearing loss, brain damage, or learning difficulties, among others.

WHO added that meningitis also causes major financial and emotional burdens for affected families and communities.

The new guidelines are expected to improve meningitis management globally, especially in resource-limited settings.

Health experts in Nigeria have welcomed the guidelines and called for urgent domestic implementation.

They urged the Federal Ministry of Health to adopt WHO’s recommendations into national meningitis control policies.

Experts also called for increased awareness, early diagnosis, and widespread vaccination to curb the disease’s spread.

Meningitis remains a pressing public health issue, particularly in Nigeria’s northern regions prone to seasonal outbreaks.

WHO maintained that proper implementation of the guidelines could significantly reduce meningitis deaths globally.

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