The Belgian Paediatric Society, SBP, has called on Belgium's authorities to ensure equal access to meningitis vaccination for all children ahead of World Meningitis Day on 5 October.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Typically caused by viral or bacterial infections, it is a serious and potentially fatal disease, especially in infants.
Currently, vaccines against meningococcal strains A, C, W135, and Y are included in the vaccination schedule in Wallonia-Brussels and Flanders.
The vaccine for meningococcal strain B, which is more recent, is recommended but not freely available, creating “inequality between families,” according to Professor David Tuerlinckx, head of the paediatrics department at Godinne University Hospital in Dinant.
A study by Dr. Marc Raes of the Belgian Society of Paediatrics shows higher vaccination coverage in wealthier communes compared to those with lower average incomes.
“The vaccination scheme is very good in Belgium, but meningitis cases remain numerous, with a significant mortality rate,” Professor Tuerlinckx noted.
The paediatrician stressed the need to make the vaccine available to more children, highlighting the fact that “one in ten children is at risk of dying, and one in five may suffer from hearing, learning, or other disabilities following meningitis.”
