Yaoundé — Health Ministers from countries of the African Meningitis Belt today committed themselves to introduce a highly promising candidate meningitis vaccine. The vaccine is designed to prevent periodic epidemics of the deadly disease in these countries. 

Meeting at the World Health Organization's 58th Regional Committee for Africa held in Yaoundé from 1-5 September, Ministers adopted the Yaoundé Declaration, committing themselves to several actions. Notably, they agreed to prepare comprehensive meningitis control plans, including the introduction of the new vaccine, once available; to implement meningitis control strategies; to undertake joint action vis-à-vis the threat; to improve information exchange for epidemic response and to contribute financially to activities to control epidemics.