Turkey
Four approaches to raising meningitis awareness in Turkey – Meningitis Volunteers Association (MVA)
What impact did World Meningitis Day 2024 have?
In just three years, the number of countries supporting World Meningitis Day has increased by 181%, making 2024 the biggest year yet.
Acting as a collective voice, we reached a record number of countries. Millions more people in every region of the world are now more aware of meningitis, its symptoms and impact and what needs to happen to defeat it.
Download the 2024 report
Acting as a collective voice, we reached a record number of countries. Millions more people in every region of the world are now more aware of meningitis, its symptoms and impact and what needs to happen to defeat it.
World Meningitis Day 2024 in numbers
A key milestone in the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by 2030 is achieving participation in World Meningitis Day from at least 80% of WHO member states. In 2024, people from more than two-thirds of WHO member states took part. This moved us closer to our target and made it the biggest year to date.
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135countries took action on World Meningitis Day.
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381illuminations took place around the world.
Questions you might have
World Meningitis Day 2024 received widespread support from people all over the world. This included leading global health organisations, governments and international institutions.
Key supporters included:
- The World Health Organization.
- The United Nations.
- The UK’s National Health Service (NHS).
- The French Ministry of Health.
- Médecins Sans Frontières.
- MSD.
- The Spanish Senate.
- Nigeria Rivers State Ministry of Health.
- Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
- UNICEF.
- Sanofi.
- PATH.
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
- GSK.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Together, we reached a record number of countries.
World Meningitis Day was launched in 2009 by the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations (CoMO). It began with members undertaking activities in 19 countries. Since then, it’s grown from grassroots campaigning into a global movement.
CoMO members pioneered the very first World Meningitis Day in 2009. Today, CoMO is part of Meningitis Research Foundation, who now co-ordinate the day. Every year we reach millions of people with messages of prevention, understanding and hope. Many CoMO members continue to support World Meningitis Day every year, with 76 participating in 2024.
People worldwide unite to raise life-saving awareness in a range of creative and impactful ways. These include sharing meningitis experiences, illuminating buildings, participating in television and radio interviews and expert health talks.
These actions help to spread vital information and drive momentum toward defeating meningitis.
In 2024, we launched our first-ever World Meningitis Day Advocacy Fund. We invested £20,000 in six advocacy projects around the world to support CoMO members to broaden their reach and amplify their impact. See their case studies.
What other ways did CoMO members support World Meningitis Day 2024?
In 2024, CoMO members did more than ever before. 76 CoMO members in 37 countries made their voices heard.
Activity included:
• The launch of Brazil's national plan to defeat meningitis – the first national plan in the Americas.
• The publication in New Zealand of a bilingual English–Maori colouring book to encourage vaccination.
• A Facebook Live panel discussion in the Philippines, providing life-saving information and sharing the stories of people affected by the disease.
• Raising awareness at a children’s hospital in Kenya to highlight the importance of professional development on meningitis.
Activity included:
• The launch of Brazil's national plan to defeat meningitis – the first national plan in the Americas.
• The publication in New Zealand of a bilingual English–Maori colouring book to encourage vaccination.
• A Facebook Live panel discussion in the Philippines, providing life-saving information and sharing the stories of people affected by the disease.
• Raising awareness at a children’s hospital in Kenya to highlight the importance of professional development on meningitis.
Read our CoMO members' case studies and be inspired by what they achieved
Spain
Meningitis in Galicia: from disaster to success – Spanish Association Against Meningitis (AEM)
Other ways to take part in World Meningitis Day 2025
Join the global movement. Share your meningitis experience, raise life-saving awareness with the free materials in our campaign toolkit or help light the road at 20:30 (8:30pm) on 5th October.