Ethiopia successfully responded to the Meningitis C outbreak in Gambella, one of the nine national regional states of Ethiopia located in the western part of the country. The outbreak has begun in October 2015 and it has come to an end after 6 - 7 weeks (October 18-Dec, 2015). A total of 13 suspected meningitis cases were detected and of these four cases were found to be confirmed meningococcal meningitis sero-group C cases, from Itang special woredas, kule refugee camp where all affected groups were above five years.

WHO Ethiopia facilitated the procurement and delivery of 120,000 doses to the Gambella regional health bureau on December 27th, 2016. The vaccination provided during the outbreak response was a Meningococcal A, C, W135 Polysaccharide Vaccine. During the mass campaign, from the total estimated target group of 109,866 people that composed of refugees from Tierkidi Camp (39,522); Kule Camp (35,102); Akula Settlement (1,260) and a host community of Itang Woreda (33,982); a total of 89,038 (81% of the target population) people were vaccinated. Different Rapid Convenient Survey (RCS) had been done by different partners and it was found that more than 96% of individual or areas were covered. In addition mop up vaccination had been conducted by house to house visit to vaccinate missed individual.

Since the first suspected Meningitis C (MenC) case was seen at Kule camp different efforts have been made by different governmental and non-governmental organizations including WHO, MSF Holand, ARRA, UNHCR and PFSA and supported the Gambella regional health bureau in distribution of vaccines, mapping of target groups, conducting awareness raising activities in the affected and adjacent woredas as well as in resource mobilization. Moreover, during the mass campaign, guidance on cold chain management and Inventory methods was led by WHO and 9053 vials were consumed  with a wastage rate of only 1.7% and no adverse events or cases of anaphylactic shock were recorded.

Basic training on meningococcal meningitis prevention and control (surveillance, case management and vaccination) was given for 15 health professionals who were selected from five different refugee camps in the region except Okugo. WHO has provided both technical and facilitation support to this training. Furthermore, the training cascaded in Kule (35) and Tierkidi (40) refugee camps where WHO has supported financially and technically as well as in Jewi (21) refugee camp.

Currently, the meningitis C outbreak has been successfully managed and no additional case was reported. WHO has also strengthened the surveillance in the affected areas at all levels.