Halfway to 2030

Today, 13th November 2025, marks five years since the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by 2030 was approved. This means that we are halfway through its timeline.

Since 2020, an incredible amount of progress has been made towards defeating meningitis, but there is still more to be done. That is why we have come together, as a global network of people and organisations, to call on governments to fulfill their commitment to defeating meningitis.

Now is the time for action: to build on the progress to date, to seek guidance from those affected by meningitis and to collaborate to drive change. So that no one suffers unnecessarily from this devastating disease.

A clear path forward for defeating meningitis

Meningitis is a swelling of the lining around the brain and spinal cord (the meninges), which is usually caused by a bacterial, fungal or viral infection. 2.3 million people are affected each year.

It can be fast, ruthless and deadly. The WHO estimates that 1 in 6 people who contract bacterial meningitis will die and 1 in 5 survivors will live with lifelong disabilities, including hearing loss, limb loss and epilepsy.

But meningitis is not unstoppable. With concerted action, we can save lives and protect futures. The Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by 2030, approved by all member states at the World Health Assembly in 2020, sets out a comprehensive vision for 2030. If implemented, we can eliminate bacterial meningitis epidemics, reduce disability and save 200,000 lives every year.

The WHO calculates that defeating meningitis by 2030 could deliver more than $100 billion in economic benefits. By reducing cases, preventing deaths and limiting the life-changing disabilities caused by meningitis, we all gain.

Celebrating life-saving progress since 2020

Over the past five years, guided by the WHO, we have seen excellent progress. This work not only brings us closer to defeating meningitis: it also reinforces initiatives aimed at strengthening primary healthcare, improving immunisation coverage and advocating for the rights of people with disabilities.

Key successes include:

•  A potentially game-changing new vaccine has been approved by the WHO and rollout has begun in some of the countries most affected by outbreaks. Protecting against five of the main causes of bacterial meningitis, this vaccine could be a critical tool in the prevention of cases and elimination of epidemics, especially in Africa’s “meningitis belt”, the 26 countries where around half of all meningitis cases and deaths occur.
• World Meningitis Day is now the world’s largest day of collective action on meningitis. The number of countries supporting the day has increased by almost 200%. Billions of people in every region of the world are now more aware of meningitis, its symptoms and impact.
• The first-ever global guidelines for meningitis diagnosis, treatment and care have been published. Developed by WHO, this enables countries to adopt and integrate global guidelines into national protocols, enabling clinicians to act more swiftly to support patient recovery.

Turning global guidance into national action

There have also been important demonstrations of political will to defeat meningitis by governments that have launched national action plans. National plans are a key part of the Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by 2030, with governments developing targeted, localised policies and programmes which address the needs of communities in their country. Yet despite progress, more must be done if we are to achieve our vision of a world free from meningitis.

To date, fewer than 10% of member states have met their commitment to develop a national plan to defeat meningitis. That is why, as a global community working together to defeat meningitis, we are calling for governments to act. At this midway point, governments can accelerate the development and implementation of national plans and embed the voices of people affected in their design and delivery.

Advocates should be at the heart of sustainable change

We recognise the significant ongoing challenges in global health funding and stand ready to collaborate with global health leaders to forge a path forward. We offer our unique and valuable expertise as people with lived experience, civil society groups and healthcare professionals so that governments can be sure that national plans are sustainable, economical and truly reflect the needs of the communities they aim to support.

There is so much more to celebrate from the past five years. Lives have been saved and awareness has been raised. Yet there is more to be done. Achievements over the next five years will be even more critical if we are to ensure that the goals of the Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by 2030 are met.

To do this, we must work together to develop plans that are fully integrated into wider healthcare systems and which are deeply rooted in the needs of communities in every country. Now is the time for action, so that in five years we can celebrate defeating meningitis.

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