Meningitis Research Foundation, the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations (CoMO) and Sanofi join forces to launch ‘The Meningitis Flag’, a global initiative to raise awareness in the fight against meningitis.

With the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games opening in exactly one year, and with the support of para-athletes Ellie Challis (Great Britain), Théo Curin (France), and Davide Morana (Italy), this unique global campaign seeks to increase understanding of a disease that remains one of the world’s largest infectious disease killers, and yet is largely preventable.

Despite major progress over the last 20 years, meningitis still affects more than 2.5 million people globally each year yet is largely preventable through vaccination.

Vinny Smith, Chief Executive, Meningitis Research Foundation and CoMO, said: “Meningitis affects millions of people globally each year. We have been campaigning for over 30 years to combat the devastating impact of meningitis and now, with the Meningitis Flag, the meningitis community has a unique opportunity to leverage the power of sport so we can bring even greater visibility and support to the fight against this terrible, yet largely preventable, disease”.

Paul Hudson, CEO, Sanofi, said: “Meningitis is a hidden epidemic - quiet and insidious – but too often results in terrible consequences. It is therefore urgent and imperative to accelerate the global race to defeat meningitis. At Sanofi, we are committed to leveraging our partnership with Paris 2024 to elevate this fight worldwide, ensuring awareness that this disease can largely be beaten through vaccine innovation. We’re incredibly proud to support the launch of the Meningitis Flag and do our part to reach the World Health Organization’s goal to defeat meningitis by 2030”.