Learn from CoMO members: meningitis advocacy case studies launch
We’re delighted to share a new set of case studies featuring the advocacy successes of CoMO members.
CoMO’s network comprises a diverse range of organisations and individual advocates who all play their part in working towards achieving WHO’s vision to defeat meningitis by 2030.
Despite the many differences between organisations, our members have achieved considerable successes over the years, often with small teams and limited resources. For many starting on their journey to raise awareness or advocate for changes to policy or practice, it may seem like there are too many obstacles in the way of achieving the goal. We’re sharing these case studies, so that members can learn from the experience of others, and the strategies, ideas and approaches that helped them achieve change.
Join us as we take you across the world to learn more about the challenges CoMO members have faced in creating change, and how they overcame them. We’re only sharing brief teasers so be sure to click on the button if you want to read the whole story.
Nigeria
Care and Development Centre (CADEC) is a non-governmental organisation that focuses on a variety of issues relating to women’s health, including raising awareness of meningitis. While meningitis may not, at first glance, seem like a women’s health issue, women are often made responsible for family health, including arranging vaccine appointments and looking after sick relatives.
As a result, CADEC organises outreach events at local markets, schools, community meetings and health centres. There’s a particular focus on rural areas as well, to raise awareness amongst ‘hard to reach’ mothers, sisters, aunties, wives and daughters. By being a strong advocate for the provision of aftercare and support for people affected, CADEC Director, Omorodion Rhoda Omoile has been invited to join WHO’s Africa Region Technical Working Group for the Global Roadmap to Defeat Meningitis.
France
In 2012, Méningites France Association Audrey and Association Petit Ange Ensemble contre la méningite came together to promote vaccination against infectious diseases such as meningitis, forming a coalition: Ensemble contre les Méningites (ECLM). The co-founders sadly know too well the harm meningitis can cause, with the disease claiming the lives of their children before there was a vaccine available. Drawing on their experience, ECLM share personal meningitis stories, distribute materials to raise awareness of meningitis across France, and advocate for vaccination against meningitis.
Drawing on the evidence and expertise of the CoMO network, ECLM provided testimony to a Technical Committee on Vaccination, using their passion and conviction to convey the need for the MenB vaccine. The Haute Autorité de Santé (French National Authority for Health) ruled that the MenB vaccine should be recommended, a landmark decision that will protect many more children.
Spain
Asociación Española contra la Meningitis (AEM) has been working to reach new audiences with information on why we need to defeat meningitis, developing a storybook to counter fear of vaccines among children and learning more about politics to take a more strategic campaigning approach.
Currently, the MenB vaccine is only offered in 3 of the 17 autonomous regions in Spain. AEM recognises that lobbying for change takes time but have a goal in mind: that all autonomous regions include the MenB vaccine in their regional calendars for infants.
So far, AEM’s campaigning has gone really well and they share some of their tips. Now, several regional health authorities are contemplating on how they might facilitate the inclusion of the MenB vaccine and Cataluña has announced that they will offer the vaccine to all children from January 2022.
USA
Patti Wukovits and Alicia Stillman started the foundations, The Kimberly Coffey Foundation and The Emily Stillman Foundation in memory of their daughters, who they lost to meningitis. Working together, the foundations formed the Meningitis B Action Project (MAP).
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