The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through its specialized health institution, the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has urged researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and stakeholders to strengthen regional health security against Lassa fever and other emerging infectious diseases.
WAHO made this call in a statement on Friday while announcing the second Lassa Fever International Conference, scheduled to take place in September 2025 in Côte d’Ivoire.
The conference, themed “Beyond Borders: Strengthening regional cooperation to combat Lassa fever and emerging infectious diseases,” is aimed at advancing sustainable preparedness and regional coordination for Lassa fever through enhanced research and development capacity, improved outbreak management systems, and multisectoral collaboration.
Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic illness endemic to West Africa, with Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea among the most affected countries. Since its discovery, the disease has exposed critical weaknesses in the region’s health systems.
So far in 2025, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 506 Lassa fever cases out of the 2,492 suspected cases, and 95 deaths.
WAHO noted that despite being classified as a priority disease by the World Health Organisation, Lassa fever outbreaks follow a recurring pattern of temporary containment followed by fresh outbreaks, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable preparedness that focuses not only on response but also on research, coordination, and stronger health systems.
“Building on the foundation laid during the first edition hosted by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control in Abuja in 2019, the 2025 edition will bring together policymakers, researchers, healthcare professionals, and key stakeholders to foster regional coordination, share scientific progress, including promising Lassa vaccine candidates entering clinical trials, and shape a more sustainable and collaborative approach to Lassa fever prevention and control across West Africa.
“No single country can address challenges posed by Lassa fever and emerging infectious diseases alone, as globalisation, faster travel, and frequent cross-border movements have significantly increased the spread of infectious diseases across borders. Countries can significantly improve their response speed and effectiveness by sharing data, resources, and expertise. This collaborative approach will reduce Lassa fever’s impact, and enhance regional health security,” it stated.
According to the Director General of WAHO, Dr Melchior AÏSSI, “Lassa fever remains a persistent threat to our populations, severely impacting our lives, health, and economic systems. Endemic in several West African countries, it causes between 100,000 and 300,000 infections each year, with around 5,000 deaths. Recent predictions indicate that factors such as climate change could put up to 600 million people at risk of contracting Lassa fever. This projection underlines the need for increased vigilance and preparedness.”
Lassa Disease Programme Lead at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Dr Katrin Ramsauer said, “The world has made great progress in recent years in the fight against Lassa fever. This upcoming conference is an important moment for scientists and global health experts to come together, under WAHO’s leadership, to both share new knowledge about the disease and spot the remaining research gaps where we need to act. Their discussions
will help shape the Lassa fever research agenda in years to come which is set to have a direct impact on our future response to Lassa fever outbreaks – now becoming larger and more frequent as climate change and population growth in the region continue.”
The event will feature plenary discussions, panel sessions on vaccine research, cross-border coordination, community surveillance, and environmental studies, with contributions from regional and international health leaders.
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