The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through its health agency, the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), has called for stronger regional collaboration to combat Lassa fever and other emerging infectious diseases.
In a statement released on Friday, WAHO announced the Second Lassa Fever International Conference, set to take place in September 2025 in Côte d’Ivoire. Themed “Beyond Borders: Strengthening Regional Cooperation to Combat Lassa Fever and Emerging Infectious Diseases,” the event will focus on improving outbreak response, enhancing research capacity, and fostering multisectoral partnerships across West Africa.
Lassa fever, a viral haemorrhagic disease endemic to the region, remains a major public health threat, particularly in Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. In 2025 alone, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported 506 confirmed cases and 95 deaths, underscoring persistent gaps in disease surveillance and response mechanisms.
WAHO’s Director-General, Dr. Melchior Aissi, warned that climate change could expose up to 600 million people to the virus, stressing the urgent need for sustainable preparedness and cross-border collaboration.
Similarly, Dr. Katrin Ramsauer, Lassa Disease Programme Lead at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), noted that the upcoming conference will play a crucial role in shaping future research and response strategies.
Building on the foundation laid by the first edition in 2019, hosted by NCDC, the 2025 conference will bring together policymakers, researchers, and health professionals to discuss vaccine development, community surveillance, and funding mechanisms for outbreak management.
WAHO emphasized that no single country can fight Lassa fever alone and urged greater data-sharing, resource mobilization, and expertise exchange to establish a more effective regional response.
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