Preparedness and response to bacterial meningitis outbreaks: toolkit for frontline healthcare workers - World Health Organization (WHO)

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in collaboration with national health authorities, conducted a technical mission from 14 to 17 September 2026 to support the country’s progress towards the goals of the global road map to defeat meningitis by 2030 and advance regional and national efforts to eliminate bacterial meningitis as a public health problem. The mission brought together national teams in epidemiology, laboratory services, clinical care, immunization and health promotion, alongside PAHO specialists and international experts. Activities included a multidisciplinary national workshop, visits to public health facilities of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Service in Santo Domingo and Santiago de los Caballeros, and technical exchanges at the Dr. Defilló National Reference Laboratory. Building on the country’s existing surveillance systems, laboratory capacity and committed health teams, participants identified practical opportunities to strengthen the continuum of care, from early recognition and timely diagnosis to treatment, notification and follow-up for people affected by meningitis.

How a workshop brought together public health surveillance experts in West Africa. Meningitis, an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, can be caused by serious bacterial or viral infections, and is considered a major global public health challenge.