World Meningitis Day 2023: Date, history, significance

World Meningitis Day 2023: From significance to date, here is all that you need to know about this special day.

World Meningitis Day 2023: Meningitis is a disease where the membranes surrounding the brain and the spinal cord, also known as meninges, are infected and inflamed. This triggers a lot of symptoms such as headache, fever and a stiff neck. Often caused by a viral infection, meningitis can sometimes be caused by bacteria or fungal infections as well. Depending on the seriousness of the disease, meningitis can be diagnosed and cured. Every year, a day is observed to raise awareness about the disease and explore the ways of treatment and precautions. As we gear up to celebrate World Meningitis Day, here are a few facts to know.

World Meningitis Day 2023: Date, history, significance (Unsplash)

Date:

Every year, World Meningitis Day is celebrated on October 5. This year, the special day falls on Thursday.

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History:

Started by Confederation of Meningitis Organisations, the first World Meningitis Day was held in 2008, and has been continuing since then. Earlier, the day was celebrated on April 24, and later it was moved to October 5 to allow more people to participate. "The World Health Organization’s Global Road Map to Defeat Meningitis by 2030 will improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment, disease monitoring, health advocacy, and support and aftercare, saving up to 200,000 lives annually and significantly reducing disabilities caused by meningitis. Countries worldwide have committed to the vision of better prevention, diagnosis, treatment, disease monitoring, health advocacy, and support and aftercare. With collective global action we can make this our reality by 2030," wrote Confederation of Meningitis Organisations on their official website.

Significance:

On this day, organisations get together to raise awareness about the disease and explore ways by which it can be prevented. Raising money for treatment of meningitis patients is another way of observing the day in a noble way. Writing down about the experiences of meningitis also helps people know and get more aware about this disease.