Nigeria: Meningitis Vaccine Breaks Barrier, Gains Approval to Travel Outside Cold Chain

15 November 2012

Signaling a potential breakthrough for immunization programs in resource-poor countries, researchers, in a statement obtained by LEADERSHIP, today announced at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) conference that regulatory authorities, after conducting a rigorous review of stability data, will for the first time allow a vaccine in Africa to be transported and stored for as long as four days without refrigeration or even an icepack.

The meningitis A vaccine known as MenAfriVac®, created to meet the needs of Africa's meningitis belt, can now be kept in a controlled temperature chain (CTC) at temperatures of up to 40°C for up to four days, a decision that could help increase campaign efficiency and coverage and save funds normally spent maintaining the challenging cold chain during the "last mile" of vaccine delivery.

...

AllAfrica publishes around 400 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.