World Meningitis Day: the world’s largest day of collective action on meningitis. In 2023, people in 126 countries took action on World Meningitis Day to raise life-saving awareness of the disease which kills 1 in 10 people.
Making an impact on World Meningitis Day: a global awareness raising moment
On the 5th October every year, people from all over the world come together for a global day of action, raising awareness of the impact of meningitis and the investment and political support needed to defeat it.
What impact did World Meningitis Day 2023 have?
In just two years, the number of countries supporting World Meningitis Day has increased by 162%, making 2023 the biggest year yet.
Support for the day was shown by organisations across the world, including the United Nations, Gavi, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the UK’s Health Security Agency, Sanofi, PATH, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, GSK, TED and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
By uniting and raising our voices on 5th October, we reached a record number of countries – meaning millions more people in every region of the world are more aware of meningitis, its symptoms, its impact, and what needs to happen to defeat it.
#WorldMeningitisDay was a trending hashtag on X.
How has the campaign grown?
World Meningitis Day has been growing each year since its first campaign in 2009. Founded by the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations, the goal was to unite a global community of people affected by meningitis, raise awareness among those unfamiliar with the disease, and ensure that no one learns about it for the first time while seriously ill in the hospital. In 2023, 50 members across 29 countries made sure their voices were heard.
What action did people take on World Meningitis Day?
Activity ranged from sharing experiences of meningitis and lighting up buildings to organised events. Other activity included sharing life-saving resources, taking part in television and radio interviews and creating content such as awareness animations in Brazil, a meningitis rap in India and an Ambiguously Blind podcast in the USA.
Read our CoMO members' case studies and be inspired by what they achieved.
Brazil
A digital masterclass in sharing educational content
Associação Brasileira de Combate à Meningite (Brazilian Association for Combating Meningitis)
Pakistan
Building community engagement: from door-knocking to street walks
Helping Hands Foundation
Learn more about what CoMO members have achieved in previous years
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Japan: Japan Child Meningitis Org
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Nigeria: Care and Development Centre (CADEC)
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USA: Ambiguously Blind
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New Zealand: Meningitis Foundation Aotearoa NZ
Other ways to take part in the World Meningitis Day 2024
There are plenty of ways to get involved in World Meningitis Day. Why not share any of the free resources in our campaign toolkit? Or help light the road on the 5th October?
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Sign up to the Meningitis Research Foundation’s monthly newsletter and find out how we are working to defeat meningitis. Each email is packed with the news on the latest science, meningitis vaccines, and health policy developments. You can also learn more about what is being achieved by the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations - our global network of meningitis groups and advocates.
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