World Meningitis Day 2021

Take action. Defeat meningitis.

In November 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the first ever Global Roadmap to Defeat Meningitis by 2030. This World Meningitis Day (April 24th 2021), we need your help to make sure it happens.

Meningitis is a global disease. It travels from person to person without respect for national borders. You have the power to take action and defeat meningitis by helping us raise vital awareness and life saving funds, to finally rid the world of this deadly and devastating disease. Will you help?

Tweet your support for #WMD2021 on April 24th

How you can help

Write to your local politician. The WHO might have endorsed the Global Roadmap to Defeat Meningitis by 2030, but nothing will change unless governments all over the world act on it. Not sure what to say? Click here to create a personalised template letter to your local representative, highlighting the issues that matter most to you. (Not sure how it works? Click here for more information.)
Use the CoMO toolkit. Our friends at the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations (CoMO) have developed a comprehensive toolkit to help you make the most of World Meningitis Day. You'll find infographics, fact sheets, key messages and much more to ensure you can easily #TakeActionDefeatMeningitis wherever you are. Click here to view the toolkit.
Get involved on social media. Follow MRF (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram) on social media to help make as much noise as possible on World Meningitis Day. Share our posts, ask questions, encourage others and help get the message out there. This is a free and effective way to help raise life saving awareness. Use the hashtags #WMD2021 and #TakeActionDefeatMeningitis to join in the conversation.
Tell your story. If you have experienced meningitis, whether you fell ill yourself or it happened to someone in your life, we want to hear from you. Your story can help bring the reality of this devastating disease to life. Click here to submit your story to our Book of Experience.
Read and share the stories of others. To mark World Meningitis Day, three of our Supporters have told their stories for the very first time. Visit our news page to read them on World Meningitis Day, or our Book of Experience to read over 650 other real life stories. If they have an impact on you, we encourage you to share these stories far and wide.

"After meningitis I was a completely different person. I’d been so active and independent, but now I’d lost all my strength and needed help with everything – getting dressed, using the toilet, using cutlery, everything. I flew back to Northern Ireland so my parents could take care of me and they did so much for me. I still feel guilty that their lives had to be put on hold as well. I’m so grateful for everything they did for me.”

Click here to read Paula's story.

“Before I fell ill I didn’t even know adults could get meningitis. I thought it was just something babies got. Now, the more I’ve read about meningitis, the more I count myself bleeding lucky. I might walk down the street and forget where I’m going sometimes, but at least I’m walking.”

Click here to read Martin's story.

“I had the worst headache - like someone was driving nails into my head. I couldn’t look at the light, I was retching, vomiting, sweating, delirious. I could hardly move. When the paramedics arrived, they said I should just call the doctor in the morning. I said I wouldn’t be able do that, because I would be dead. I knew that I was dying.”

Click here to read Rebecca's story.

New research shows meningitis and neonatal sepsis are the second-largest infectious killers of children under five globally

Estimates for meningitis as a cause of death differ widely across global health models and may be underestimated
Globally, meningitis and neonatal sepsis are the second-largest infectious killers of children under five, according to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates
Whilst deaths from measles and tetanus in children under five years of age are estimated to have decreased by 86% and 92%, respectively, between 1990 and 2017, deaths from meningitis decreased by just 51%
WHO estimates show meningitis and neonatal sepsis were responsible for more deaths in under-fives than malaria, measles, HIV and tetanus combined
Despite its burden, meningitis is seldom, if at all, mentioned in critical global and regional health documents

Tweet this important research for #WMD2021 on April 24th

Further advocacy and campaigning projects

We call for positive change as a united voice against meningitis and septicaemia, and a dedicated champion for those it affects.

Advocacy & campaigning projects

MRF Research projects

Since the charity was founded in 1989, we have awarded 161 research grants. The total value of our investment in vital scientific research is over £19.1 million (€24.7 million).

Current projects

MRF Action and support projects

We take action that benefits people directly, including training health professionals and providing support and information services.

See our projects

Give researchers vital genetic clues to help defeat meningitis

£160/€190/$214 decodes the genetic information in a sample of meningococcal bacteria. This information has helped us track new forms of meningitis and campaign to introduce new vaccines to protect people.

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Media contact

Elaine Devine - Director of Advocacy, Communications & Support

Tel: 0333 405 6248

elained@meningitis.org

Email Me