West Africa launches roadmap to boost access to Lassa fever vaccines

West African countries have launched a regional framework aimed at ensuring equitable access to Lassa fever vaccines once they become available.

The framework, known as the Lassa Fever End-to-End (E2E) Access Roadmap for West Africa, was officially unveiled on 3 February in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

It is described as the first regionally led roadmap designed to guide countries through every stage required to move a Lassa fever vaccine from development to sustained use.

The roadmap was developed under the leadership of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), with support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), as part of efforts to strengthen epidemic preparedness and vaccine equity across the sub-region.

Addressing a persistent public health threat

Lassa fever remains a major public health concern in West Africa, where it causes thousands of deaths annually and places severe pressure on fragile health systems, the statement noted.

While several vaccine candidates are currently in development, stakeholders involved in the initiative stressed that scientific progress alone is not enough to guarantee timely and equitable access, especially in countries where the disease is endemic.

According to the Executive Director of Access and Business Development at CEPI, Emma Wheatley, preparations must begin long before vaccines receive regulatory approval.

“For decades, Lassa fever has affected the lives and livelihoods of people across West Africa, but the tide is turning.

“With experts expecting the first Lassa vaccine approvals in the next five years, we must begin our preparations for what’s to come now,” she said.

From development to delivery

The roadmap adopts an end-to-end approach that links every stage required to move a vaccine from research to long-term use.

It covers research and development, regulatory and policy preparedness, manufacturing and supply planning, financing, procurement, delivery systems and sustainability.

By outlining responsibilities, timelines and key decision points, the framework is expected to help governments, manufacturers, funders and implementing partners coordinate actions to ensure vaccines are affordable and accessible, particularly in Lassa fever–endemic countries.

The statement added that the roadmap was shaped through extensive consultations involving national governments, regional bodies, technical experts, civil society organisations, manufacturers and global health partners, with West African ownership central to its design.

Regional ownership and preparedness

WAHO said early and deliberate planning is critical to ending the long-standing threat posed by Lassa fever in the region, noting that strong regional coordination and trusted partnerships will be key to future success.

According to the Director of Healthcare Services at WAHO, Virgil Lokossou, the roadmap provides a region-led structure for aligning countries and partners around shared priorities for vaccine access.

“The Lassa Fever End-to-End Access Roadmap represents a decisive step forward: a clear, region-led framework through which West Africa is defining its own priorities for vaccine access and aligning countries, partners and institutions around a shared vision and complementary roles,” he said.

Vaccine development gains momentum

The launch of the roadmap comes as progress continues in Lassa fever vaccine development.

As of January, a candidate Lassa fever vaccine has entered its first human trials in the United Kingdom, raising hopes for improved prevention of the disease, particularly in Nigeria, which records the highest number of reported cases globally.

The development was discussed during a recent virtual interview with PREMIUM TIMES, which brought together global health officials and researchers involved in vaccine development.

The vaccine is being developed by researchers at the University of Oxford, with support from CEPI.

According to the developers, the ongoing trial is a Phase 1 study designed to assess the safety of the vaccine in healthy adult volunteers before it progresses to larger trials in Africa.

Later-stage trials are expected to include Nigeria as part of efforts to ensure the vaccine is tested and eventually made available in countries most affected by the disease.

Latest Lassa fever situation in Nigeria

Nigeria recorded 21 new confirmed cases of Lassa fever and nine deaths in the first epidemiological week of 2026, pushing the country’s case fatality rate (CFR) to 42.9 per cent, according to the latest situation report by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The report, which covers 29 December 2025 to 4 January 2026, shows that although confirmed infections declined compared with the final week of 2025, the number of deaths increased sharply when compared with the same period last year.

Data from the report indicate that 104 suspected cases were recorded during the week, of which 21 were laboratory confirmed, with no probable cases reported.

All confirmed cases were recorded in Bauchi, Ondo and Edo states, across nine local government areas. Bauchi accounted for 57 per cent of confirmed infections, followed by Ondo with 29 per cent and Edo with 14 per cent.

Health authorities noted that 100 per cent of confirmed cases nationwide originated from the three states, highlighting their continued role as high-burden areas for the viral haemorrhagic disease.

About the virus

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, which is transmitted to humans primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected rats.

It can also spread from person to person through contact with bodily fluids.

The disease often begins with fever, weakness, and headache, and may progress to more severe symptoms such as bleeding, difficulty breathing, swelling, and organ failure.

Early diagnosis and prompt treatment with Ribavirin are critical for improving survival.