Scientists across West Africa, including Dr. Katrin Ramsauer of CEPI, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa of FIND, Dr. Marie Jaspard of the CORAL project, Dr. Mark Feinberg of IAVI, and Dr. Janet Diaz of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, have called for coordinated regional action and accelerated Research and Development (R&D) to curb Lassa fever and other Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs).
They explained that coordinated action is essential to save lives, protect communities, strengthen health systems, ensure equitable access to medical countermeasures, and prevent fragmented responses during outbreaks.
The scientists made the call on Wednesday.
They delivered their message at the Second Lassa Fever International Conference in Abidjan, convened by the West African Health Organisation (WAHO).
They said the conference aims to reinforce regional commitment, mobilize political will, and drive collective action against Lassa fever and other emerging infectious diseases.
It was emphasized that urgent investments in diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics, cross-border cooperation, harmonized clinical practices, integrated data systems, regional genomic surveillance, operational preparedness, local capacity development, long-term funding, and strong political leadership are critical.
Dr. Katrin Ramsauer highlighted that multi-country partnerships are key for therapeutic trials, flexible trial designs are necessary, and communities must be continuously informed and engaged throughout the process.
Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa stressed that Africa cannot rely solely on external suppliers, pointing to Nigeria’s expansion of diagnostic testing and the importance of local manufacturing and laboratory capacity.
Dr. Marie Jaspard noted the need to train African researchers and clinical trial managers and to ensure transparent data sharing across borders to maximize trial effectiveness and retain local expertise.
Dr. Mark Feinberg said that vaccine and therapeutic development requires equal partnerships with African scientists and institutions taking leadership roles, supported by sustainable long-term funding and coordinated commitments.
Dr. Janet Diaz explained that Lassa fever has been a WHO priority since 2018, that optimizing standards of care is critical for research, and that operational readiness—including staff, supply chains, infrastructure, systems, and security—must be ensured to respond quickly during outbreaks.
The scientists concluded that coordinated regional action, robust political support, operational preparedness, local capacity building, and cross-border collaboration are essential to saving lives, strengthening health systems, and enabling West African countries to take leadership in Lassa fever R&D and outbreak response.