Meningitis Deaths Fall by Almost Half Since 2000

Global meningitis deaths have fallen by almost half since 2000, with vaccination and improved surveillance driving particularly strong progress among young children and across Africa.

“Marked progress” has been made in reducing bacterial meningitis through global vaccination campaigns, the GBD 2023 Meningitis & Antimicrobial Resistance Collaborators say.

Meningitis caused an estimated 259,000 deaths worldwide in 2023, around 25% fewer than in 2015 and almost 50% fewer than in 2000. Some of the strongest improvements have occurred in Africa’s meningitis belt, with countries including Sudan and Rwanda cutting death rates by more than 80%. Deaths among children under five have also fallen particularly sharply, highlighting the impact of wider vaccination and stronger disease surveillance and providing a foundation for further progress towards global meningitis targets for 2030.