RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Cases of meningitis are surging in Africa, and the United Nations links the increase to a widely ignored environmental extreme that is also intensifying amid climate change: sand and dust storms.
The potentially deadly disease can be caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi, but bacterial meningitis is the deadliest of them all and can lead to life-threatening sepsis. Around 2.3 million people globally are diagnosed with meningitis every year, and the World Health Organization estimates that it kills around one in six patients. Half of all deaths are in children under 5 years old.
Meanwhile, sand and dust storms have devastating implications for the health of millions of people worldwide, particularly in Africa’s Sahel region stretching from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east. The region has come to be known as the “meningitis belt,” where half of all meningitis cases occur.
About the author
David Njagi
David Njagi is a Kenya-based Devex Contributing Reporter with over 12 years’ experience in the field of journalism. He graduated from the Technical University of Kenya with a diploma in journalism and public relations. He has reported for local and international media outlets, such as the BBC Future Planet, Reuters AlertNet, allAfrica.com, Inter Press Service, Science and Development Network, Mongabay Reporting Network, and Women’s Media Center.
