Bacterial Meningitis can befatal. It can cause severe brain damage and, if untreated, can even lead to death. The disease is more common among children who inhabit crowded areas with poor sanitation and hygiene.

The good news is that Karnataka is one of the first four states where Haemophilus influenza Type B vaccine has been made mandatory. Talks are on and, shortly, the Union government is going to make Haemophilus influenza Type B vaccine compulsory under the National Immunisation Schedule, all over the country.

"This vaccine has about 80% efficacy. It is required to be given in four doses, with the first three at a gap of one-and-a-half to two months each and the fourth dose at the age of one-and-a-half years," said Dr Preethi Galagali, consultant pediatrician, Chord Road Hospital.

"Roughly, around 2% of children suffer from some form of meningitis. Though Haemophilus influenza Type B vaccine has been there for the last 18 years, it is only over the last five years that there has been an awareness about this vaccine, leading to reduction in the incidence of meningitis," said Dr Kishore Kumar, CEO and MD, Cloudnine and member of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics.