Using Climate Information to Predict and Control Meningitis Epidemics

Countries involved: Burkina Faso, East Africa, Senegal, Ethiopia, Benin, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria

Organizations involved: NOAA, Burkina Faso Direction Générale de la Météorologie, Burkina Faso Ministry of Health, Laboratory of Ocean and Climate Science (France)

Climate data from national weather stations, re-analysis products and annual epidemiological data were used to develop a Meningitis outbreak forecasting system that helped inform MCM epidemic control strategies, such as fundraising for vaccines and field allocation of staff and health equipment. Photo caption: A crowd of children line up for meningitis vaccinations in Burkina Faso. © 2000 Rebecca Stoltzfus, Courtesy of Photoshare

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