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By Doris Obinna
West Africa has taken a significant step toward strengthening regional health security with the launch of a new framework aimed at ensuring fair access to future Lassa fever vaccines.
The West African Health Organisation (WAHO), with support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), officially unveiled the Lassa Fever End-to-End (E2E) Access Roadmap for West Africa.
The initiative is being described as the first regionally led plan of its kind designed to prepare countries for the introduction, distribution, and long-term use of Lassa fever vaccines once they are approved.
Lassa fever remains a serious public health challenge across West Africa, causing thousands of deaths each year and placing heavy pressure on already fragile health systems. The disease also carries significant economic consequences for affected countries. Although several vaccine candidates are currently under development, health leaders say scientific progress alone will not be enough to ensure vaccines reach the people who need them most.
The new roadmap focuses on early and coordinated planning, drawing lessons from past epidemics where delays in access and unequal distribution limited the impact of medical breakthroughs. It outlines a comprehensive approach that links every stage of the vaccine journey, from research and development through regulatory approval, manufacturing, financing, procurement, and delivery, to long-term sustainability.
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CEPI’s Executive Director of Access and Business Development, Emma Wheatley, said the region must act now to prepare for expected vaccine approvals within the next five years. She noted that Lassa fever has affected lives and livelihoods across West Africa for decades, adding that advance planning is essential to ensure future vaccines make a real difference on the ground.
According to WAHO, the roadmap was developed through extensive consultations with national governments, regional institutions, technical experts, civil society organisations, vaccine manufacturers, and global health partners. West African leadership and country ownership were central to the process, reflecting a desire to strengthen regional capacity and self-reliance in epidemic preparedness.
Director, Healthcare Services at WAHO, Dr. Virgil Lokossou, said the fight against Lassa fever requires early, deliberate action anchored in strong regional preparedness and trusted partnerships. He described the roadmap as a decisive step toward ending the disease’s long-standing threat in the region.
Beyond serving as a planning tool, the roadmap is also intended as a call to action. Its developers are urging sustained political commitment, collaboration, and investment to ensure that countries are ready well before vaccines become available.
Health officials say the launch marks an important moment for West Africa, signalling a shift toward proactive, regionally coordinated strategies to tackle endemic and epidemic diseases and to secure equitable access to lifesaving vaccines.
