WAHO Expands Coalition Fighting Lassa Fever
The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has expanded its Lassa Fever coalition to accelerate vaccine access in the region.
A statement in Abuja on Wednesday by the Deputy Director of the Press and Public Relation, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Mr. Alaba Balogun, said the coalition involves three prominent regional health organisations as new partners in its mission to fight Lassa fever and fast-track vaccine access across the region.
The partners are Corona Management Systems, Nigeria Health Watch, and Bloom Public Health.
According to the statement, the announcement was made recently during the annual ECOWAS Assembly of Health Ministers Meeting, marking a significant step forward for the coalition, which is supported by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) in Oslo / Bobo-dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
It added that the newly on-boarded partners will support the Coalition’s Secretariat, helping WAHO coordinate a locally led, regionally focused effort to develop, introduce, and ensure equitable access to Lassa fever vaccines.
The Ministers of Health from Benin, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone countries most affected by Lassa fever are core members of the coalition.
Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, said the expansion of the Lassa Fever Coalition was not just a strategic step, but a powerful affirmation of what was possible when African nations rise together in common cause.
Pate who is also the Chair of the ECOWAS Assembly of Health Ministers stressed that the new partnerships reflect a deeper regional shift toward health sovereignty.
“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, we are deliberately building resilient systems to anticipate and prevent outbreaks. This is more than a coalition, it is a blueprint for future epidemic preparedness and a model of how solidarity can deliver health security across West Africa and beyond.”
The WAHO Director-General, Dr. Melchior Aissi, emphasised the urgent need for transnational cooperation. According to him, in today’s interconnected world, no single country can address Lassa fever alone.
“Our new partners bring critical expertise that will accelerate outbreak responses and enhance access to life-saving tools,” he said.
The Managing Director of Corona Management Systems and Coalition Secretariat spokesperson, Dr. Chijioke Kaduru said the new partners were proud to support WAHO in driving a unified regional response.
He added that by focusing on coordination, capacity-building and preparedness, the coalition could lay the groundwork for equitable access to Lassa fever vaccines.
Also, the CEPI CEO, Dr. Richard Hatchett highlighted the critical role of the coalition’s expanded secretariat in turning vaccine research into reality. He said their regional expertise is vital to creating an environment where vaccine development and access strategies can thrive.
The statement noted that the new secretariat will be headquartered in Nigeria, with teams also deployed in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Benin. It added that their work will include supporting vaccine research and development, liaising with developers and funders, strengthening scientific capacity for clinical trials, and creating end-to-end vaccine access plans tailored to regional needs.
It further said that WAHO will convene the second Lassa Fever International Conference (LIC) from Sept. 22 to Sept. 26 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with the theme: “Beyond Borders: Strengthening Regional Cooperation to Combat Lassa Fever and Emerging Infectious Diseases.”
Lassa fever, which is a viral haemorrhagic illness first identified over 50 years ago, has continued to affect hundreds of thousands annually. With unreliable diagnostics and frequent misdiagnosis, especially as malaria, the disease burden remains underestimated.
Recognising the disease’s public health threat, the World Health Organisation placed it on its priority list for urgent research and development.
WAHO Expands Coalition Fighting Lassa Fever is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
