The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its inaugural global guidelines

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its inaugural global guidelines for meningitis diagnosis, treatment, and care, marking a significant step toward reducing the disease’s devastating impact. These evidence-based recommendations aim to accelerate detection, ensure timely treatment, and enhance long-term care for those affected. By consolidating the latest clinical insights, the guidelines offer a vital resource for healthcare providers and policymakers to curb meningitis-related deaths and disabilities worldwide.

Meningitis remains a formidable global health challenge despite available vaccines and treatments. Bacterial meningitis, the most lethal form, can kill within 24 hours if untreated. In 2019, an estimated 2.5 million meningitis cases occurred globally, including 1.6 million bacterial cases, resulting in approximately 240,000 deaths. Beyond mortality, around 20% of bacterial meningitis survivors face long-term complications, such as hearing loss, neurological impairments, or cognitive deficits, which diminish quality of life. The disease also imposes substantial financial and emotional burdens on individuals, families, and communities.

Meningitis affects people of all ages and regions, but its burden is disproportionately heavy in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa’s “meningitis belt,” where recurrent epidemics of meningococcal meningitis pose ongoing threats. Large-scale outbreaks in these settings exacerbate the disease’s toll, underscoring the need for robust clinical and public health strategies.

The new WHO guidelines focus on improving clinical management of acute community-acquired meningitis in children over one month, adolescents, and adults. They cover bacterial and viral meningitis, addressing similarities in their clinical presentation and management. Key areas include diagnostic protocols, antibiotic therapy, adjunctive treatments, supportive care, and strategies to mitigate long-term complications. The guidelines are tailored for both non-epidemic and epidemic contexts, replacing WHO’s 2014 recommendations focused solely on outbreak response.

Designed with resource-constrained settings in mind, the guidelines prioritize practical implementation in low- and middle-income countries, where meningitis prevalence is highest. They target healthcare professionals in primary and secondary facilities, including emergency, inpatient, and outpatient services. Additionally, policymakers, health planners, academic institutions, and civil society organizations can leverage the guidelines to strengthen capacity building, education, and research initiatives.

These guidelines align with the Defeating Meningitis by 2030 Global Roadmap, endorsed by WHO Member States in 2020. The roadmap sets ambitious targets: eliminating bacterial meningitis epidemics, cutting vaccine-preventable cases by 50%, reducing deaths by 70%, and improving quality of life for survivors. Achieving these goals hinges on coordinated efforts across five pillars:

1. **Diagnosis and Treatment**: Enhancing rapid detection and optimizing clinical management to minimize mortality and complications.
2. **Prevention and Epidemic Control**: Developing affordable vaccines, boosting immunization coverage, and strengthening outbreak preparedness and response.
3. **Disease Surveillance**: Improving monitoring systems to inform prevention and control measures.
4. **Care and Support**: Ensuring early recognition of meningitis and better access to care for survivors’ long-term needs.
5. **Advocacy and Engagement**: Raising political commitment, public awareness, and inclusion of meningitis in national health plans while promoting rights to prevention, treatment, and aftercare.

By providing a comprehensive framework for meningitis care, WHO’s guidelines empower countries to address gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and support. They pave the way for faster, more effective responses to meningitis cases, ensuring more people receive timely interventions and ongoing care. As part of the broader 2030 roadmap, these guidelines are a cornerstone in the global fight to defeat meningitis and alleviate its profound human and societal costs.