PRESS RELEASE
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire – 9 September 2025
In an historic moment for regional solidarity and leadership, West African Ministers of Health pledged on Monday 8 September 2025, their joint commitment to advance the development of, and readiness for, much-needed vaccines against Lassa fever in recognition of the significant threat to regional health security posed by the disease.
Health Ministers from across the region convened for high-level discussions convened by the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) and Dr Muhammad Ali PATE, Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare of Nigeria, as co-chair of the Lassa fever Vaccine Coalition, alongside M. Pierre N'Gou DIMBA, Minister for Health, Public Hygiene and Universal Health Coverage of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, host country of the Lassa fever International Conference in Abidjan. The meeting was supported by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the global pandemic preparedness institution, and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), a non-profit scientific research organisation. The Ministers adopted a communiqué strengthening the region's shared leadership in tackling an endemic West African virus that causes significant health, economic and social damage.
Despite its devastating impact, no licensed vaccines currently exist to protect against Lassa fever. The most advanced vaccine candidate has been developed by IAVI with funding from CEPI and the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership. IAVI's promising vaccine candidate is currently being evaluated in a Phase IIa clinical trial to evaluate the vaccine's safety and immunogenicity in Ghana, Liberia and Nigeria – the most advanced study of a Lassa fever vaccine to take place anywhere in the world.
Through the communiqué, the Ministers reaffirmed their political endorsement of accelerating Lassa fever vaccine readiness as a regional strategic health priority and a cornerstone of pandemic preparedness, underscoring its dual role in strengthening national systems and collective resilience. They recognised that Lassa fever could serve as a model towards broader integration and coordination of financing efforts. They committed to supporting the development of IAVI's Lassa vaccine candidate rVSVΔG-LASV-GPC1 through a collaborative co-funding approach and joint action to mobilise and secure resources through advocacy and regional coordination. They pledged to strengthen country and regional platforms to ensure that clinical trial sites, laboratories, regulatory authorities and community engagement efforts across West Africa are ready to enable the late-stage clinical research needed to advance a Lassa fever vaccine to licensure and to bolster the region's response to other epidemic and pandemic disease threats.
"For decades, Lassa fever has silently taken lives, eroded livelihoods, and tested the resilience of our health systems. Here in Abidjan, West Africa is showing a new path: countries uniting not only to call for a vaccine, but to co-finance and prepare the systems that will make it real."
— Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare of Federal Republic of Nigeria
"WAHO is proud to convene and coordinate this landmark commitment. ECOWAS Ministers have agreed not just to endorse a vaccine, but to co-finance it together — showing that West Africa is ready to lead on solutions to Lassa fever and pandemic threats."
— Dr. Melchior Athanase J. C. Aissi, Director General of WAHO
Signatories of the communiqué include Ministers of Health or their representatives from the Republic of Benin, Republic of Cabo Verde, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, Republic of Ghana, Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of the Gambia, Republic of Liberia, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Republic of Senegal, Republic of Sierra Leone and the Togolese Republic.
As next steps, the Ministers agreed to coordinate with countries to ensure capabilities are in place to support late-stage vaccine development and to refine the regional financing approach. In support of the latter, WAHO, CEPI and IAVI will convene a working group of countries to align on resource mobilisation.
Hundreds of thousands of people in West Africa are estimated to be affected by Lassa fever each year, with the disease causing almost 4,000 deaths and $110 million in productivity losses in the region annually. Symptoms range from mild headache to vomiting, swelling and widespread bleeding which can be fatal. In those that recover, hearing loss is commonly reported. The potential impact of the disease is set to worsen, with modelling research predicting up to 600 million people could be at risk of Lassa fever infection by 2050 as a result of climate change and population growth.
For further information, kindly contact:
WAHO Communications Office: Email: communication@wahooas.org
CEPI: Email: press@cepi.net | Phone: +44 7387 055214
IAVI: Email: rcatlos@iavi.org
COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire – 8 septembre 2025
Dans un moment historique de solidarité et de leadership régional, les ministres de la Santé d'Afrique de l'Ouest ont réaffirmé ce lundi 8 septembre 2025, leur engagement collectif à faire avancer le développement et la préparation à l'introduction de vaccins indispensables contre la fièvre de Lassa, en reconnaissance de la menace significative que cette maladie représente pour la sécurité sanitaire régionale.
Les ministres de la Santé de toute la région se sont réunis pour des discussions de haut niveau convoquées par l'Organisation Ouest-Africaine de la Santé (OOAS) et par le Dr Muhammad Ali PATE, Ministre coordinateur de la Santé et de la Protection sociale du Nigéria, en tant que co-président de la Coalition pour le vaccin contre la fièvre de Lassa, aux côtés de M. Pierre N'Gou DIMBA, Ministre de la Santé, de l'Hygiène publique et de la Couverture Maladie Universelle de la République de Côte d'Ivoire, pays hôte de la Conférence internationale sur la fièvre de Lassa à Abidjan.
Malgré son impact dévastateur, aucun vaccin homologué n'existe à ce jour pour se protéger contre la fièvre de Lassa. Le candidat-vaccin le plus avancé a été développé par IAVI avec le soutien de la CEPI et du partenariat EDCTP (European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership). Ce vaccin prometteur fait actuellement l'objet d'un essai clinique de phase IIa visant à en évaluer l'innocuité et l'immunogénicité au Ghana, au Libéria et au Nigéria — l'étude la plus avancée au monde sur un vaccin contre la fièvre de Lassa.
À travers le communiqué, les ministres ont réaffirmé leur appui politique à l'accélération de la préparation au vaccin contre la fièvre de Lassa en tant que priorité stratégique régionale de santé et pierre angulaire de la préparation aux pandémies, soulignant son double rôle dans le renforcement des systèmes nationaux et de la résilience collective.
« Depuis des décennies, la fièvre de Lassa emporte silencieusement des vies, détruit des moyens de subsistance et met à l'épreuve la résilience de nos systèmes de santé. Ici à Abidjan, l'Afrique de l'Ouest trace une nouvelle voie : des pays qui s'unissent non seulement pour réclamer un vaccin, mais aussi pour cofinancer et préparer les systèmes qui le rendront réel. »
— Dr Muhammad Ali PATE, Ministre coordinateur de la Santé et de la Protection sociale de la République fédérale du Nigéria
« L'OOAS est fière de convoquer et de coordonner cet engagement historique. Les ministres de la Santé de la CEDEAO ont convenu non seulement d'endosser un vaccin, mais de le cofinancer ensemble — montrant que l'Afrique de l'Ouest est prête à prendre le leadership sur les solutions face à la fièvre de Lassa et aux menaces pandémiques. »
— Dr Melchior Athanase J. C. AÏSSI, Directeur Général de l'OOAS
Les signataires du communiqué incluent les ministres de la Santé ou leurs représentants de la République du Bénin, de la République du Cabo Verde, de la République de Côte d'Ivoire, de la République du Ghana, de la République de Guinée-Bissau, de la République de Gambie, de la République du Libéria, de la République fédérale du Nigéria, de la République du Sénégal, de la République de Sierra Leone et de la République togolaise.
On estime que des centaines de milliers de personnes en Afrique de l'Ouest sont touchées par la fièvre de Lassa chaque année, la maladie causant près de 4 000 décès et 110 millions de dollars de pertes de productivité annuellement dans la région. Les symptômes vont de maux de tête bénins à des vomissements, gonflements et hémorragies diffuses pouvant être fatales.
Pour de plus amples informations, veuillez contacter :
Unité de Communications de l'OOAS: Email: communication@wahooas.org
CEPI: Email: press@cepi.net | Phone: +44 7387 055214
IAVI: Email: rcatlos@iavi.org
COMUNICADO DE IMPRENSA
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire – 9 de setembro de 2025
Num momento histórico para a solidariedade e liderança regionais, os Ministros da Saúde da África Ocidental assumiram, na segunda-feira, 8 de setembro de 2025, o seu compromisso conjunto de avançar no desenvolvimento e na preparação para vacinas tão necessárias contra a febre de Lassa, em reconhecimento da significativa ameaça que a doença representa para a segurança sanitária da região.
Os Ministros da Saúde de toda a região reuniram-se para diálogos de alto nível convocados pela Organização Oeste Africana da Saúde (OOAS) e pelo Dr. Muhammad Pate, Ministro Coordenador da Saúde e Bem-Estar Social da Nigéria, como co-líder da Lassa fever Vaccine Coalition, juntamente com o Sr. Pierre N'Gou Dimba, Ministro da Saúde, Higiene Pública e Cobertura Universal da República da Côte d'Ivoire, anfitrião da Conferência Internacional sobre a Lassa fever International Conference.
Apesar do seu impacto devastador, não existem atualmente vacinas licenciadas para proteger contra a febre de Lassa. O candidato vacinal mais avançado foi desenvolvido pela IAVI, com financiamento da CEPI e da European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership. O promissor candidato vacinal da IAVI encontra-se atualmente a ser avaliado num ensaio clínico de Fase IIa, destinado a testar a segurança e a imunogenicidade da vacina no Gana, na Libéria e na Nigéria – o estudo mais avançado de uma vacina contra a febre de Lassa realizado em qualquer parte do mundo.
Através do comunicado, os Ministros reafirmaram o seu apoio político à aceleração da preparação para a vacina contra a febre de Lassa, enquanto prioridade estratégica regional em matéria de saúde e pilar fundamental da preparação para pandemias, sublinhando o seu duplo papel no reforço dos sistemas nacionais e da resiliência coletiva.
"Durante décadas, a febre de Lassa tem silenciosamente ceifado vidas, destruído meios de subsistência e posto à prova a resiliência dos nossos sistemas de saúde. Aqui em Abidjan, a África Ocidental mostra um novo caminho: países que se unem não apenas para reivindicar uma vacina, mas para cofinanciar e preparar os sistemas que a tornarão uma realidade."
— Dr. Muhammad ALI Pate, Ministro Coordenador da Saúde e Bem-Estar Social da República Federal da Nigéria
"A OOAS orgulha-se de convocar e coordenar este compromisso histórico. Os Ministros da CEDEAO concordaram não apenas em apoiar uma vacina, mas em cofinanciá-la em conjunto — demonstrando que a África Ocidental está pronta para liderar soluções contra a febre de Lassa e outras ameaças pandémicas."
— Dr. Melchior Athanase J. C. Aïssi, Diretor-Geral da OOAS
Os signatários do comunicado incluem os Ministros da Saúde ou seus representantes da República do Benim, República de Cabo Verde, República da Côte d'Ivoire, República do Gana, República da Guiné-Bissau, República da Gâmbia, República da Libéria, República Federal da Nigéria, República do Senegal, República da Serra Leoa e República Togolesa.
Estima-se que centenas de milhares de pessoas na África Ocidental sejam afetadas pela febre de Lassa todos os anos, sendo que a doença provoca quase 4.000 mortes e perdas de produtividade no valor de 110 milhões de dólares anuais na região. Os sintomas variam entre dores de cabeça ligeiras, vómitos, inchaços e hemorragias generalizadas que podem ser fatais.
Para mais informações, queira, por favor, contactar:
Gabinete de Comunicação da OOAS: Email: communication@wahooas.org
CEPI: Email: press@cepi.net | Phone: +44 7387 055214
IAVI: Email: rcatlos@iavi.org
