Feel it: Men5CV
By: Haffiya Elyas
Men5CV, known as MenFive, is a revolutionary new pentavalent meningococcal vaccine that offers protection against five major serogroups of meningococcus bacteria. The World Health Organization (WHO) approved Men5CV in 2023, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is supporting its deployment in high-risk countries, with Nigeria being the first to introduce it for outbreak response and routine immunization.Men5CV provides comprehensive protection against the five most common types causing meningitis in the “meningitis belt” of Africa.
In preparation for the introduction of the pentavalent meningitis vaccine, the Federal Ministry of Health, represented by the General Directorate of Basic Health Care and the General Directorate of Health Emergencies and Epidemic Control, in cooperation with the Regional Office of the World Health Organization, organized a workshop to assess the risks of meningitis in Kassala State, in the presence of experts from the WHO Head Office, the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and the African Office, in addition to national experts in epidemiology and immunization.
This workshop is very important as a strategic step towards eliminating meningitis by 2030, because the health system in Sudan has been facing unprecedented challenges since the outbreak of war in April 2023, which has significantly impacted immunization services, however, the EPI continues to demonstrate its exceptional resilience, with the support of dedicated national teams and internationally and regionally acclaimed partners.
The introduction of the pentavalent meningitis vaccine (Men5CV) is a historic opportunity to change the course of disease prevention in the country. This is not just a new vaccine, but also a fundamental step towards restoring confidence in the public health system, rebuilding health services in conflict-affected areas, and embodying Sudan’s commitment to science-based, human-centred health leadership—especially in the midst of crises.
The Ministry of Health expressed its deep gratitude to the World Health Organization (WHO) for its technical and field support to send technical expertise from the Eastern Mediterranean and African regions to support this mission, the focus remains on strengthening the entire immunization system, and ensuring that no child is left behind.”
The Ministry of Health must fully commit to continuing joint work to ensure the protection of every child in Sudan, regardless of their circumstances or location, as the outputs of the workshop will contribute directly to the preparation of the national strategic plan, feed the Sudan’s proposal submitted to ( Gavi ) for the introduction of the pentavalent meningitis vaccine.
This workshop came as a result of joint efforts between the Federal Health and the World Health Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean as well as Africa, and the passage of more than ten years since Sudan introduced the vaccine, which led to a reduction in infections and deaths, but unfortunately other strains of meningitis have emerged and the risks are now being identified, accordingly, a new vaccine containing a group of antibiotics will be introduced, with the support of the Global Vaccine Alliance.
In Sudan After vaccination against meningitis, infections and epidemics decreased, and then infections returned again from 2020 with epidemics in a number of neighboring countries
We hope that the workshop will come out with an evaluation report for the introduction of the pentavalent meningitis vaccine by changing the routine vaccination, which contributes to reducing morbidity and mortality, especially among children, and benefiting from the experiences of countries that preceded us such as Nigeria, Chad, Ethiopia and South Sudan in identifying risks and high-risk areas.