Meningococcal infection steadily rising in Russia: experts demand urgent inclusion of vaccine into National immunization schedule

Experts report a steady increase in meningococcal infection in Russia. Over the first eight months of 2025, the incidence increased 3.9 fold compared to 2024 figures^[1], and, as specialists noted during the Expert Forum on Immunoprophylaxis of the All-Russian Union of Patients, the situation continues to deteriorate. Delays in including the meningococcal vaccine in the National Immunization Schedule (NIS) are resulting in preventable loss of life and placing a heavy burden on the budget. Experts therefore called for this issue to be resolved as quickly as possible.

Yury Lobzin, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Chief External Specialist of the Russian Ministry of Health for pediatric infectious diseases, called meningococcus the most severe of all vaccine preventable infections: according to official data alone, the case fatality rate reaches 16%.

"More than 28% of survivors have severe disabling consequences. We are now seeing a steady upward trend in incidence. This is due, among other factors, to accumulated ’immune debt’, meaning that vaccination schedules were disrupted during the pandemic. The outbreak has even affected Moscow, where meningococcal vaccination is included in the regional immunization schedule for children aged 3 years and older. Migrants are most often infected, and they then transmit the infection to adults. A second incidence peak is observed among young people. People over 65 are also in the risk group,"

said Yury Lobzin.

According to the expert, a particularly alarming fact is the rising incidence of generalized forms of meningococcal infection (GMI). GMI is characterized by rapid progression and can be fatal within 24 hours. The increase in these forms after the pandemic has been observed across all age groups, but especially among young children and adolescents aged 13–17 years.

Meningococcal infection currently ranks first among the causes of death from infectious diseases in children^[2]. About 70% of those who survive the disease require long-term rehabilitation^[3]. Possible consequences include severe central nervous system disorders, cognitive impairment, damage to the musculoskeletal system and other organ systems. Recovery is often difficult or even impossible.

"Because the initial symptoms are nonspecific, nearly 70% of patients with meningococcal infection (and in the case of young children, 90%) die within the first 24 hours. A key area of concern is that infection affects previously healthy children. Imagine a child who used to be just fine yesterday, the next day ending up in intensive care, with an uncertain outcome. The main burden is associated with the development of generalized forms of the disease, which are accompanied by multiple severe complications, including kidney damage, deafness, extensive necrosis, and thrombosis requiring amputations,"

noted Alla Vilnits, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Leading Research Fellow at the Federal Scientific and Clinical Center for Infectious Diseases of the FMBA of Russia.

According to Yury Lobzin, the consequences of the disease can be catastrophic. Physicians recently managed to save a 2.5-year-old child who had to undergo bilateral leg amputation because of the risk of death due to severe secondary intoxication. The treatment cost exceeded RUB 20 million. Vaccination is significantly less expensive: it substantially reduces both direct and indirect healthcare costs, and also helps save lives and health.

"Meningococcal infection is not the most common, but it is extremely dangerous one. Children in the first four years of life are the main risk group, and in most countries they are vaccinated. Studies show that vaccination during the first and second year of life reduces the risk of meningitis by 92%,"

said Professor Susanna Kharit, Chief External Specialist in Pediatric Vaccine Prevention of the St. Petersburg Health Committee.

Unfortunately, the inclusion of the meningococcal vaccine in the National Immunization Schedule (NIS) has been postponed for many years.

"Back in 2015, a decision was made to expand the national immunization schedule and include the meningococcal vaccine. But since then, implementation deadlines have continued to be pushed back, and no funding has been allocated in the budget. This undermines public trust in the healthcare system. Now is the time to respond to society’s demand and protect the lives and health of children from the most dangerous infection,"

emphasized Yan Vlasov, Co-Chairman of the All-Russian Union of Patients.

Sergey Leonov, Deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and member of the Working group on meningococcal infection, stated that the State Duma Health Committee is ready to support the decision to include the meningococcal vaccine in the NIS:

"For the vaccine to appear in the schedule in 2027, amendments to the law on the national immunization schedule must be introduced already in 2026, and the necessary funding must be included in the budget. The decision was postponed because we did not have a Russian vaccine. Now we do, and it meets all needs and protects against all meningococcal serotypes present in the country."

"At the end of 2025, we completed the pivotal clinical trial of a quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine. The results demonstrated a good immune response and a favorable safety profile, especially in young children. We expect to obtain marketing authorization in August, and by the end of the year we are ready to produce at least one million doses to cover the initial demand. By early 2027, our capacity will reach around 4 million doses per year, which will allow us to fully supply the country with a fully localized Russian vaccine that can be used in children from 6 weeks of age, as well as in adults and high-risk groups. At this stage, the key issue is the speed of decision-making regarding inclusion of the vaccine in the National Immunization Schedule, since the economics of such investments directly depend on it,"

said Kirill Danishevsky, Vice President for Corporate Communications at Petrovax Pharm.

Experts concluded that any delay in including the vaccine in the National Immunization Schedule translates into human lives lost, above all the lives and health of children, as well as additional economic burden. They called for an urgent decision to include vaccination against meningococcal infection in the NIS to be made as soon as possible.

¹ Expert discussion at the round table “Approaches to the Prevention of Meningococcal Infection in Russia: Challenges and Solutions.” Epidemiology and Vaccine Prevention. 2026;25(1):121–124 (in Russian)

² Korolyova M.A., Gritsay M.I., Koroleva I.S., Akimkin V.G., Melnikova A.A. Purulent bacterial meningitis in the Russian Federation: epidemiology and vaccine prevention. Population Health and Habitat. 2022;30(12):73–80 (in Russian)

³ Mazankova L.N., Tebenkov A.V., Rossina A.L. Meningococcal infection in children: new challenges. Pediatrician’s Practice. 2021;(3):25–29 (in Russian)

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09 April 2026

Russia postpones expansion of National Immunization Schedule: total burden of infections far exceeds vaccination costs

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